


In Times of Peace

by GobletOfCider



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Auror Harry Potter, Canon Compliant, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Family, Harry Potter Raises Teddy Lupin, Post-Battle of Hogwarts, Post-Second War with Voldemort, Quidditch Player Ginny Weasley, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-07
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-03-07 04:54:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 44,157
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26347438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GobletOfCider/pseuds/GobletOfCider
Summary: Rated for language and some violence.Harry navigates through life after the Battle of Hogwarts and the challenges of finding peace in the aftermath of the war while learning to be a parent and adapting to ever changing relationships. Spans the time from May 1998 through April 2013. Mostly canon compliant apart from a few dates and names.
Relationships: Harry Potter & Andromeda Black Tonks, Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger & Harry Potter & Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, Teddy Lupin & Harry Potter
Comments: 10
Kudos: 77





	1. May 1998 to January 1999

**Author's Note:**

> Perfunctory disclaimer that I don't own any part of JKR's Harry Potter world.

You have to support baby's head. That's rule number one. Harry knew that, because he wasn't an idiot. He wasn't sure where he had acquired that knowledge since he'd never been around babies before, but it must be one of those things people just know. The sky is blue, the earth is round, baby's neck muscles aren't developed enough to support their massively oversized heads when the stork drops them off. It's just one of those things. What he didn't know was at what age the head supporting rule took a back seat to the much more general and all encompassing 'don't drop the baby' rule. It didn't really matter now since Teddy was not even three weeks old and clearly still in the floppy, head support needed category. He was so, so tiny. His fingernails small and sharp like baby Norberta's little dragon scales, his hair wispy and thin under his yellow and black striped beanie, his legs folded at the hip like he wasn't quite ready to stretch out after months curled in a warm ball. He was just a pink lump, really. Barely opening his eyes. Lips working mindlessly around his soother as he drifted between a groggy awake and deep sleep.

Harry hadn't intended to meet his godson today. To be fair, he hadn't had a plan at all. _Typical._ He had fallen asleep in an armchair by the fireplace in the Gryffindor common room. The battle hadn't left its mark on that space, even if the dormitories above had been blasted open. Rather than search for a proper bed, he, Ron, and Hermione had fallen asleep in their chairs after soup and sandwiches from a sedate and bandaged Kreacher.

Despite having been awake for nearly two days, Harry woke a few short hours later. Hermione had shifted to a sleeping bag and a spot on the floor. Ron was snoring, curled in a tight ball in his chair, which seemed comically cramped considering his friends height. Other students had made their way to the tower for a bit of rest, and were sleeping on sofas, in chairs, or on the floor.

Harry retreated from the tower carefully, trying his best to avoid stepping on anyone or making a noise that might wake them. A small pile of sleeping bags were stacked next to the portrait hole along with a small table laden with tea and snacks. Harry took a moment to prepare a cup and grabbed a small pastry before walking out as quietly as possible.

The damage to the castle seemed somehow worse in the light of day. Night had brought terror then overwhelming relief, but daylight brought grief, both numb and piercing. As he wove through the corridors around bits of rubble, doubled back to find an intact staircase, let his eyes linger on curse marks on the stone walls, and averted his gaze from the still drying pools of blood, he couldn't escape the reality of what had happened. Voldemort was dead, but at great cost.

The relief of Voldemort's demise and his own survival quickly faded to the wish it had been a nightmare - a premonition that he still had a chance to change. If he had only figured out the diadem sooner, he could have turned himself over from the start. But would Neville have had the chance to kill Nagini then? Was there a way to have won without the slaughter of so many people, both good and bad?

His feet had carried him through the eerily silent corridors to the destroyed entrance hall. He stood on the threshold to the Great Hall looking over the house tables, remembering the bodies that had been laid out in rows only hours before. He knew the dead were resting in the chamber behind the teacher's table - the one he had been to once after his name was called for the Triwizard Tournament. He couldn't make his feet move as he considered all the twists of fate that had led to Voldemort's downfall from that moment nearly four years ago. He felt tainted by his association with the wizard. He had been a horcrux the whole time. Nearly his whole life. A piece of Voldemort had latched onto him, entwining with his soul, always in the periphery of his mind. Dumbledore never told him. How would it have shaped his life if he had known earlier? About the prophecy? The horcrux? Would he have been the same person? Had the same friends? Would anyone who had died be alive now or vice versa? Had he been led to believe that people are made up of their choices only to feel like he never had a choice at all?

This felt like destiny.

A destiny fulfilled, for better or worse.

What was he supposed to do now?

_BANG!_

Harry jumped half a meter and twisted, wand drawn from his pocket in a flash, teacup shattered at his feet, and settled into a defensive crouch, only to be greeted by the sight of the purple, double-decker Knight Bus only a few meters back from the broken entrance hall doors. A stooped man with grey and black streaked hair and an easy smile stepped out in a conductor's uniform. He turned offering a steadying hand to a tall, slender woman with curly, dark brown hair fastened in a low plait. She wore trousers and a woolly cardigan. A nappy changing bag was draped over one shoulder and she held a baby carrier out in front of her. Her eyes were glassy, red, and puffy. She looked far away from herself. She couldn't have looked any different from her sister in that moment.

Harry's wand had lowered to his side as his feet had automatically carried him through the entrance way and down the steps to the front lawn. "Mrs. Tonks."

She turned her despondent gaze to him and he couldn't look away. Pain and loss radiated from her. He wished he could take some of that away.

"Thank you all for calling on the Knight Bus. We'll be back around, quick as you need us, free of charge," the conductor spoke solemnly. "We are truly sorry for your loss." Harry's gaze turned to the conductor, who flashed a sad smile, placed a hand over his heart and leaned into small bow to the assembled group and again to himself. "Mr. Potter."

The Knight bus was gone with another _BANG!_ and the spell seemed to be broken. Harry was standing in front of a small group of families, all there to visit or collect their deceased loved ones. He recognised Lavender Brown's older sister, a few months pregnant by the looks of her, and to her left was Dennis Creevey standing in front of his parents looking as if he'd been punched in the gut repeatedly.

"Hiya, Harry," Dennis said, voice breaking on the familiar greeting. His mother's shoulders shook with quiet sobs.

"Dennis," Harry whispered. "It's good to see you."

Dennis nodded, but shuffled uncomfortably. "Do you... know where my brother is?"

Harry briefly panicked, wondering if they knew he was dead. But one glance at any member of this group, anyone could have told you they were grieving a loss. There was no hint of nervous fidgeting of the worried. There was no spark of hope in their faces.

"Yeah. They're just through here." Harry turned uncertainly to lead the party into the entrance hall. "Watch your step. It's... it's a real mess."

Harry wondered what the scene would look like to someone who hadn't seen the chaos unfold. Would the curse marks and rubble and crooked doors and charred stone and settling dust and spattered blood look any different to those who hadn't fought?

"Oh my," a woman at the back of the party uttered in shock.

No. It was bad no matter your perspective.

Professor McGonagall emerged from the chamber door just as the group was rounding the raised platform that held the teacher's table. She looked every bit her age and then some, but her robes were crisp and her expression was solemn. Even amongst the ruins she was a pillar of strength.

Harry was glad he wouldn't have to lead the group beyond. He didn't know what to say.

Professor McGonagall looked down at her watch, frowning. "My apologies. I was meant to greet you, but you seem to have found the way." Professors Sprout and Sinistra joined her from the chamber, and Professors Flitwick and Slughorn were speaking quietly to a group of people in Ministry robes shuffling papers in the opposite corner of the Great Hall. Lavender's sister - Melanie? Melody? - crumpled to her knees, crying and shaking, and Professor Sprout charged forward to comfort her. "My deepest condolences to you all. You raised brave, principled young men and women and it was my pleasure to have known and taught them all." Professor McGonagall paused, swallowing thickly before she continued. "We are here to help you through this, whatever you need." She kept her voice low, sorrowful, but it carried nonetheless. She stood to the side and gestured them forward. "Your loved ones are just through here. Come as you are ready."

The families made their way into the chamber one by one. The Creevey family were one of the first to enter, and the sound of their cries would likely haunt Harry's nightmares forever. Others lingered outside the door, pacing and fidgeting - the hope flickering that maybe, just maybe, this was all a mistake. It wouldn't be real until they saw it with their own eyes, so they planted their feet, not ready to accept their new world.

The croaking of a baby caught Harry's attention. Teddy wasn't crying, but he was fussing, waking up. He hadn't registered that Andromeda had stayed close to him as they walked through the Great Hall. He stared at Teddy, his godson, as his little fists swung and his face scrunched then relaxed.

"Do you- Can I.... I can watch him for you," Harry said quietly, "if you want to go in alone."

Andromeda surveyed him in silence.

"I'll keep him safe, I promise," Harry said, earnestly.

After another tense moment, she handed the nappy changing bag to Harry. "You'll stay here?"

Harry nodded. "No wandering."

"Don't let him out of you sight."

"Yes ma'am."

With a last hesitation, she handed the carrier to Harry and walked into the chamber to say goodbye to her daughter and son-in-law.

Harry settled himself and Teddy on the nearest bench. He rocked the carrier back and forth gently, hoping to trick Teddy into going back to sleep. But he started fussing more, and Harry began regretting his noble mouth offering to help when he had no idea what to do.

Teddy began crying in earnest, discarding his soother completely, and Harry felt like all eyes were on him, judging him for his inability to calm a child. He was being paranoid, he knew. There were very few people in the hall and they all had greater things on their minds than a crying baby in Harry Potter's care.

So against his better judgement, Harry was unclipping Teddy from his carrier, reciting to himself everything he knew about babies. It wasn't much.

Rule Number One. Support the head.

He glanced around to the chamber door one last time, hoping Andromeda would emerge and take over again. But she didn't and Teddy needed...something. He reached forward, gently snaking his right hand under Teddy's bum and his left beneath his head and neck. He pulled the small pink lump up from his carrier and tucked the little man to his chest. They bounced awkwardly, and Teddy's cries became more persistent. Harry talked nonsense, pointing with his head to things around the hall. "This is a bench, Teddy. Do you see the bench? It's made of wood and it smarts a bit, to be honest. This is the Hufflepuff table, though you can't really tell right now without the banners. I've never sat here before because I always sat at the Gryffindor table over there. See that Teddy?" He kept up a chatter, trying to use the soft, connected voice people associated with babies, dying people, and meditation. It wasn't working. Harry cast around to the nappy changing bag by his hip, but his hands were full with Teddy, so he couldn't root around for something to help him. How do you know if a nappy needs to be changed? How do you change a nappy? Was there magic involved in the cleaning? Were there baby charms he'd need to learn? Or was he hungry? Babies ate a lot, right? They'd have to since their only purpose this young was to grow. But how was he supposed to feed a baby without Tonks?

He jumped as a hand rested on his shoulder. "Are you alright, Harry?" Professor Sinistra sat down on the bench next to him, not removing her hand. Harry gave her a bewildered stare and belatedly realised he was breathing rather heavily.

"I don't know what to do," he gasped out in a rush.

She snorted. "I should think not. There aren't many seventeen year olds, especially only children like yourself, that know how to be around babies. Contrary to popular belief, it does not come naturally. I was out of my depth when I had my first little boy, and I was thirty-one," she said kindly. "How about you give the little fellow here and I'll teach you a few tricks."

Harry shook his head. "I promised I'd keep him safe."

"You are, Harry, and you will. You'll be right here beside me, and once you feel comfortable, I'll place him right back in your arms."

She shifted Teddy into her arms and he rested comfortably in the crook of her elbow as she started explaining how she was holding him, how best to sooth him, how to drape a spit up cloth over your shoulder to catch the drool and vomit, how to transition between the different holds, and then she placed Teddy gently back in Harry's arms.

The boy's fussing had settled a bit, but he wasn't falling back to sleep.

"I rather think he sounds hungry, don't you?" Professor Sinistra set about mixing a bottle of baby formula, teaching Harry about the temperature, feeding schedules, and nipple sizes. As Teddy suckled away, they sat in silence. Harry in awe of this little person looking back up at him. Just a few short weeks ago, Remus had charged into Shell Cottage to celebrate the life Harry now held in his arms. His heart ached and his eyes filled. Would Remus and Tonks have made a better choice in godfather had they known how little time they had left?

Professor Sinistra walked him through the motions of burping and when Teddy settled back down to sleep, she helped nestle him back into his carrier. Harry pulled the stocking cap back down onto Teddy's head and ran a finger along his slim arm.

"Well done, Mr. Potter," Professor Sinistra said. "Am I right in thinking this is Remus and Tonks' son?" Harry nodded, not looking away from the sleeping baby. "Tonks was one of my first students. Remus was a few years behind me in school, but we got on well in the staff room when he taught here. I look forward to having this little bean in my class. Just eleven years and four months. It'll be here before you know it."

"That it will, Aurora." Andromeda stood in front of them again, her face puffy and raw around the nose and eyes. She was holding a folder with the Ministry seal on it.

"Andromeda," Professor Sinistra stood, letting out a heavy sigh as she drew Andromeda into a tight hug. Harry kept his focus on Teddy, trying to take in all the details, not knowing when he'd see the little boy again. "He had a bottle not long ago. Should be asleep a while yet. Can I get you a cuppa? You don't have to leave yet."

Andromeda took a seat next to Harry as the other woman strode off for tea. "You should get that looked at." Harry looked back at Andromeda confused. "You've a nasty cut just above your ear. It'll get infected."

"Oh. Right," Harry said, raising a hand to his hair, only now realising he hadn't washed in days. His hair was stiff and matted with dried blood, dirt, leaves, and grime. The side of his head was tender and he hissed at the contact. Thick clotted blood clung to his fingertips, so he wiped his hand off on his shirt, only to notice how filthy and damaged his clothes were, too. For the first time that day, he took stock of something besides his hunger and his grief. His body ached all over. He felt the bruises from jumping into the lake from too great a height off the dragon's back. Spots on his thighs, arms and torso throbbed from stray curses or burns from the vault at Gringotts, he couldn't be sure. He raised his shirt up to inspect the source of a rip and blood stain on his shirt, only to find a congealed slash in his side. Red, glossy flesh showed burns on his stomach that he had missed with the dittany on the lake shore. His shoulder was stiff, and he was beginning to think the ache in his chest was physical as well as emotional, considering the edge of a dark bruise he could see stretch under his shirt from the top of the gash. His ears were ringing, and he blinked at her dazedly. "I didn't realise I got hurt."

Madam Pomfrey materialised before him as if called. Maybe she was, since Professor Sinistra was there behind her, passing cups of tea to Harry and Andromeda. He took the cup, only to spill hot liquid on his thumb as a tremor ran through his hand. Had that happened when he held the bottle for Teddy? The memory already seemed fuzzy, like he was somehow detached from himself.

The two women joined them on the bench, filling the silence with idle chatter. Andromeda took over rocking Teddy's carrier, but Harry still kept his eyes on his godson. The sight of the carrier moving back and forth was mesmerising and his eyelids drooped and snapped back open several times. Madam Pomfrey caught him as he fell forward, pulling the tea cup from his grasp as she steadied him on the bench. She leaned in close, "I think it's time for the Hospital Wing, Harry dear. Why don't you say goodbye to Teddy and then we'll get you fixed up." Harry shook his head.

"No, I don't want to go. I'm gonna keep him safe." His words sounded slurred to his own ears. "I promised."

"You can't keep anyone safe in this state, honestly." Madam Pomfrey's typical clipped reply came as if on instinct. "Come along, Potter. I won't ask nicely again."

Harry was familiar with that particular tone and couldn't muster the energy to protest. He leaned over Teddy's carrier for a last look, but didn't touch for fear of disturbing him. "Bye, Teddy. I'm so sorry."

He stood with Madam Pomfrey gripping him under his sore shoulder. They walked a few paces before Harry turned to address Andromeda. "You'll be alright?"

She met his eyes, looking despondent again. "We will see you at the funeral, Mr. Potter. Take care."

\--**--**--**--

Mr. Weasley was the one to collect Harry from the Hospital Wing later that evening, along with Ron and Hermione, who had found him only to be shoved into the beds next to him for their own treatments. Those seriously injured in the battle had long since been transported to St. Mungo's, but the walking wounded who preferred the healing power of sleep to potions the day before trickled in and out while he lay there dozing. The Hospital Wing was in reality only a quarter of the size it typically would be, considering the damage done by the raging giants. But Professor Flitwick had cast expansion charms on the room and closed the space to the elements to keep the wing sterile.

They took the Knight Bus to the Burrow. The Hogwarts floo system had been damaged along with the wards and none of them felt like apparating in this state.

The next few days blurred together in bouts of increasingly fitful rest as their bodies healed but their emotions continued to fracture. Harry felt the need to _do something_ , not wanting to give his mind time to wander. He and Fleur took over the task of meal preparation, as Mrs. Weasley hardly left her room. When he wasn't cooking or cleaning or wearing a path around the edge of the Burrow's property, he was with Ginny and George. They didn't say much, but took comfort in each other's presence. Ron and Hermione were inseparable, and after months on top of each other during their endless camping trip, Harry couldn't begrudge them a little distance. Mr. Weasley and Percy were called upon to help the Ministry sort through the crisis. Charlie and Bill would disappear for hours and often returned with a fresh bandage or a limp, expressions grim.

The funerals had begun, the times and locations of the public funerals were published in a special edition of the _Daily Prophet_. The obituaries varied in length and quality, some featuring photos and others no more than dates of birth and surviving family members. Harry attended the funerals of the DA and Order members and Hogwarts staff. There were names he didn't know and faces he didn't recognise amongst the dead. He felt like his attendance would be seen as somehow disingenuous, so he stayed away. He couldn't have gone to every funeral unless he had a time turner, anyway, as many overlapped.

Colin's had been the first. There was nothing romantic about the way Ginny had gripped his hand during the eulogy or tucked her face to his chest, sobbing, as they played his favourite song. Harry struggled to keep his composure, remembering a DA meeting where Colin had played the album on repeat, insisting it would help everyone focus. He played the song so often in the common room, Fred -unirkable and slow to anger, Fred - had threatened to break the record over Colin's head if he didn't stop.

Harry had never been as drunk as he was after Lavender's funeral. Seamus had insisted the seventh year Gryffindors drink to her memory together. She had never wanted their parties to end, either. The four of them stumbled into the Burrow the next morning, hungover - or in Harry's case, still drunk - and coaxed out the first spark of Mrs. Weasley's particular brand of mothering as she shouted, "Where have you been?!"

Harry had stumbled into her, placing a finger to her lips. "Ssshhhhh! Ginny has a hea- _hic-_ headache. You can yell a'tus t'morrow. Pr'mise." Then he stifled a burp. "Sorry we didnae invi' choo. Next time, yeah?" He hadn't felt the collective cringe of the other assembled Weasleys, but Mrs. Weasley just patted his cheek with a little laugh of 'foolish boy' and sent them to bed.

It was a relief to have Fred's funeral over with. The tension at the Burrow had mounted because waiting was unbearable. They buried him in the Weasley family plot next to his grandparents Septimus and Cedrella Weasley. Nearly every one Harry knew in the wizarding world - those he liked, at any rate - were there to pay respects. Lee Jordan spoke on behalf of the Weasley family, and Oliver and Angelina helped Verity set off a fantastical fireworks show. They one-upped each other with ever-more ridiculous stories of Fred, some new to Harry and some old favourites. Fred's funeral truly was a celebration of his life and a testament to his character, even if every laugh pierced their soul a little. Despite the overwhelming grief, it was the closest thing he'd experienced to fun since Remus burst into Shell Cottage with a photo of his son and a proud smile. He wasn't the only one that lingered, savouring the feeling even through their despair.

Andromeda chose to have a memorial service for Remus, Tonks, and her husband, Ted, since at the time of his death they hadn't been able to make arrangements beyond a burial with so many close friends in hiding. Harry recognised the Order members, teachers, and various students, though many had chosen to attend the funeral of two former Hufflepuffs who had graduated three years ago that Harry only vaguely recognised. Andromeda had let Harry stay with Teddy in his nursery after he'd been fed and fallen asleep. There were still people loitering in the garden, sharing their favourite memories of Tonks and Ted. Remus had seemed almost an afterthought to some, but he supposed anyone outside of the Order or Hogwarts likely hadn't known him well. He wasn't even sure what Andromeda and Ted thought of their only daughter's marriage. He resolved to make sure that Teddy grew up knowing Remus.

Andromeda looked in on Teddy hours later, where she got to see the direct aftermath of Harry's first attempt to change a nappy. He had expected the nappy to be soiled in a completely different manner than it was. Babies pooped, but he had been a bit shocked by the yellow, almost mucous-like goo in the nappy. He had fumbled too long with cleaning his bum and finagling the fresh nappy that the little man had peed on himself just a little bit. Harry was horrified, thinking that somehow Teddy would hold it against him for life. He could imagine a shorter, teenage version of Remus with Tonks' voice and mannerisms. _"Yeah, well, what do you know Uncle Harry? You once made me pee on myself. Does that sound like someone responsible? No."_

She looked at him, frantically apologising to the newborn as he wiped him down with an excessive number of wipes, and she judged him. He could tell. She shooed him out of the way and made quick work of the nappy. She put a fresh onsie on him, rocked and bounced him out of the room to her own bedroom, where she had set up a bassinet.

Harry hovered awkwardly in the doorway, not realising she intended to sleep, as well. "Er, sorry. Did you, er, need anything else?"

"No. You can see yourself out?" she asked, not unkindly, just exhausted.

"Yeah," he said, hesitating then, "er, have a good night, Mrs. Tonks."

He walked down the stairs toward the garden he and Hagrid had crash landed in ten months previous, but the sight of the sitting room and kitchen stopped him up short. There was a mess of glasses, cups, plates, empty bottles, and crumpled napkins on the tables and floor. Uncovered platters of finger food sat on the table in the dining room, and dishes were piled on the counters and in the sink. The house was empty of everyone else. He had helped cleanup at the other funerals where they'd hosted a reception at the family's home. He flicked an imperturbable charm at the doorway to the stairs, took off his outer robe and began cleaning. He'd never consider leaving all this on Andromeda when she had enough to deal with already.

It was hours of mindless scrubbing. Once the dishes and trash had been sorted, Harry turned his attention to the floor. He could have used a scouring charm to eliminate the muddy footprints from the glossy wooden floorboards, but he chose to fill a mop bucket and scrub them clean on his hands and knees.

Looking around the gleaming rooms of Mrs. Tonks home, it still didn't feel like enough. So he returned to the kitchen and prepared a small casserole dish of shepherd's pie. After cleaning up his mess, he left a note on the counter with baking instructions and the reminder to call him at the Burrow if she or Teddy needed anything. He finally removed the imperturbable charm, put out the lights, locked the doors, and apparated to the Burrow.

\--**--**--**--

Charlie Weasley was predicted to need four or five days of treatment at St. Mungo's, but according to the healers he was lucky to be alive, considering the other two with him hadn't made it. The waiting room was tense as they waited for word from Bill. They'd always assumed the brothers were working together to track down the Death Eaters, but both had proven themselves good leaders and were heading their own team of volunteers. When the eldest brother did appear, he was mobbed by Mr. Weasley of all people. Mrs. Weasley had slumped in her chair relieved, and Bill had to go to her to offer comfort.

The situation outside of the Burrow had passed largely unacknowledged by Harry, Ron, Hermione, George, and Ginny. Their responsibilities laid so heavily in grieving and helping their friends grieve. The losses at the final battle had skewed toward the younger generation, but Charlie's injuries rekindled Harry's need to _do something._ He may not have been destiny-bound to save the world anymore, but he would never be the sort to walk away. Ron and Hermione weren't feeling as charitable, so it was George that joined Harry in a Ministry training day at the end of which they were both deputised into the Volunteer Auror Corps.

The requirements for the VAC were simply a demonstration of competence with select defensive and offensive spells, a vetting process to screen for known criminals, and a physical. Ginny had cursed the trace five-times over, not wanting to be left behind. Again.

Harry ended up on a team led by Hestia Jones, along with a well-built, good-natured, Nigerian-born man in his thirties named Obafemi. They spent most of their time tracking down leads, and had only one minor scuffle under their belts after two weeks patrolling for Death Eaters.

The most-wanted Death Eaters were Rabastan Lestrange, Thorfinn Rowle, Lorne Travers, Everett Jugson, the Carrows, Baron Mulciber, Marcus Selwyn, and Fenrir Greyback. There were other lesser known Death Eaters and those who persecuted muggleborns with the backing of the corrupt Ministry that would be held responsible for their crimes, if found. Dean Thomas was part of the team that flushed out Dolores Umbridge, and it seemed like some form of justice that the woman who had forced his friends out of school, away from their families, into life on the run was bound and captured by a muggle-born, a werewolf, a daughter of a squib, and a wizard who couldn't prove his blood status either way. To top the story off, they had located her off a tip from an independently minded house elf.

Dean would be drinking free for a while if the enthusiasm of the DA members that night was any indication. Everyone loves a home-grown hero.

Harry had begun visiting Andromeda and Teddy two or three times a week, as his VAC rotation allowed. He always arrived on the premise of bringing by a hot dish for her. Mrs. Weasley was back in the kitchen most days, which was a relief to the Weasley family, even if the food was a bit bland or burned at times. It was a step in the right direction. She was smothering Charlie, who had fully recovered in hospital, but had restricted his VAC duties to desk work to appease his mother, at least for a few weeks.

Teddy grew and developed between every visit. There were new sounds, new facial expressions, a new spark of wonder in his eyes, and new challenges for Harry to master. He knew how to give the boy a bath, soothe his colic, play peek-a-boo, administer tummy time, and he'd learned a few Irish folk songs to sing the little boy to sleep. He didn't fumble the bum cleaning after the first nappy change, though he hadn't cinched the nappy tight enough on one occasion and Teddy squirmed his way out of it leaving a mess. Harry would often heat up a meal and let Andromeda retreat to her room for a few hours of quiet. He even stayed the night once when the glass of wine she'd poured herself for a long soak in the bath became two bottles. She had been embarrassed the next morning, remembering Harry having to help her into bed after she'd thrown the bottle against the tiled bathroom wall and fallen sobbing to the floor as the water drained.

Andromeda was the sort of person that took care of other people. Harry had been shocked that for all the home had been filled with close friends at the memorial, they had left the house in such a messy state. He couldn't forgive them, even if he now understood that Andromeda did the fussing and she never wanted help. So Harry felt like he had proven himself to some extent when she asked for a favour for the first time ever. He just wished it hadn't involved clearing out Remus and Tonks' cottage. She had been by before to gather items for Teddy's nursery, but she had only taken what she needed. Together they sorted through clothes, keeping and preserving certain pieces for Teddy. Andromeda didn't begrudge Harry snagging a few jumpers to remember Remus by for himself. They packed up the dishes, food, and furniture, which Harry took to a donation centre. The personal items were packed with care, some bound for the attic, and others bound for Teddy's room. Andromeda was able to drift out to the garden anytime she was overwhelmed, and Teddy remained blissfully ignorant of their emotional struggles that day.

\--**--**--**--

Harry was both surprised and not surprised the day he realised the Weasley family, outside of Ron, had been completely unaware of the weeks he and Ginny had dated at the end of his sixth year. Ginny hadn't been one to shout about her love life to her family, which was likely the product of having six ridiculously protective older brothers. But he also assumed that information had made its way to her family considering how many people at Hogwarts had known about them.

He received a rather cold reception in the Burrow kitchen when he returned from another pedantic day as a VAC. His immediate thought was something had happened to Ron and Hermione on their trip to Australia.

"What's happened?" he asked anxiously, looking to Mr. Weasley, but Ginny was the one to answer.

"They know about us. There was an article in Witch Weekly. With pictures," she said in a bitter voice. "Apparently enough time has passed since all our friends died they don't need to worry about being respectful anymore."

"Oh," Harry chuckled, relieved. "I thought something bad happened." He made to sit at his usual spot at the table, across from Ginny, but George, who had taken to sitting next to him at meal times, slammed the chair back into its spot as soon as he pulled it out. Taken aback by the glares being sent his way, Harry looked to Ron for help before remembering he and Hermione weren't there.

 _"George!"_ Ginny hissed. Her arms were folded across her chest and he imagined her fingers were itching to throw hexes.

"I think we all have some questions for you," Mr. Weasley said.

"I already told you what happened. You're being ridiculous!" Ginny snapped.

"Only after you were outed in a tabloid," George retorted.

"Oh, get a grip! All of you!" she exclaimed, jumping to her feet. "We broke up over a year ago and none of you even noticed, so it clearly isn't worth this sort of fuss. I'm fine. Harry's fine. Ron didn't punch him. We're obviously still friends. It's none of your concern!"

"Go upstairs, Ginny."

She turned to her mother, caught between obeying to keep her mother happy and raging at the injustice of it all. The latter won out. "No, you go upstairs, Mum."

"Ginevra, do not take that tone with your mother," Mr. Weasley cut in, sternly.

"I'll take whatever tone I want when you're being unfair. Harry hasn't done anything wrong. We dated for a few weeks. It didn't work out between us and that shouldn't change anything."

"It's fine, Gin. I don't want you fighting each other," Harry said, shrinking inward as she snapped back.

"Blow it out your rear end, Harry. I won't let anyone tell me who I can and can't date, and I won't stand you lot thinking you can have a go at my ex on my behalf. You haven't done anything like this for anyone the boys have dated. Hell, Ron and Hermione have been fucking like rabbits upstairs and you practically pushed them out the door with a bag of gold to have a nice holiday in Australia!"

"I will not have you using that sort of language in my house! And we aren't talking about what your brothers are up to or their romantic engagements. We are talking about yours. You are underage -"

"For another five weeks!"

"-and we've been housing your boyfriend,-"

" _EX_ -boyfriend!"

"-leaving you unsupervised, and doing Merlin-knows-what under this roof! We expected honesty from both of you," Mr. Weasley yelled, face flushed, standing at the opposite end of the table.

"I haven't lied to you and neither has Harry. And 'doing Merlin-knows-what?' Really?" Ginny challenged hotly. "We've kept this place clean and stocked. Harry's bought all our groceries and cooked half the meals since he got here. When would we even have time to do 'Merlin-knows-what?' He's never here! And when he is, he's cooking for Andromeda or distracting George or helping Fleur or playing quidditch or trying to fucking learn to knit for some stupid reason."

"That's not the point!"

"Then what _is_ the point!"

"IT'S INAPPROPRIATE, GINNY!" Mr. Weasley roared.

"BOLLOCKS! YOU JUST DON'T TRUST ME!"

"IT ISN'T _YOU_ I DON'T TRUST!"

"What?" Harry asked, quietly, his voice betraying his hurt. He had shrunk in on himself as the family argued. Mr. Weasley wasn't the sort to yell and he'd certainly never had cause to be anything but friendly to Harry in the past.

"I'm not a virgin, but that's not on Harry," Ginny spat venomously at her father. Mrs. Weasley, who had started quietly crying during the exchange, gasped in her seat. "You should want my other boyfriends to have been half as decent as him."

A brief unnatural hush fell on the kitchen before Mr. Weasley ordered, "go to your room!"

"NO!"

"NOW!"

Ginny threw her chair into the table, letting it bounce back and fall to the floor in a clatter. She didn't glance back as she stomped up the stairs and slammed her door. The sound of something solid hitting a wall and falling to the floor in a clatter echoed around the kitchen, as well as a few muffled curses and possibly a kicked trunk before an eerie silence descended on the Burrow.

Harry stayed rooted to the spot. Ginny had slept with someone? Was that before or after him? He hadn't even thought to ask if she'd done anything with Dean or Michael. Could he and Ginny have been that close if he'd asked? No. He'd been pushing it with Ron's blessing in the first place. And besides that, she'd been fifteen. He hadn't wanted to take advantage. She'd been studying for OWLs at the time, and he had done his best to help her and keep her focused. Besides that, they hadn't been together that long and the snogging was brilliant. Why would he push his luck when just talking to her on walks around the lake, stealing kisses as they went, were some of the happiest times of his life?

She was right, though. They weren't together. He was still decidedly her ex-boyfriend. They hadn't talked about it in all the weeks they'd been at the Burrow. They had an unspoken understanding that now was not the time. The grief was too fresh. The war was over but the fighting continued. She would be heading back to Hogwarts and Harry wouldn't be. It wasn't a good time to start something, so they hadn't.

But who had caught her eye in the mean time? Was it at Hogwarts this last year? Was it a fling from one of the parties he knew she snuck out to sometimes? Had she chosen it or was the decision made for her? He knew life at Hogwarts was far from safe, but did that mean...? Was it possible...?

"Oi! Potter."

He jumped when George punched his arm, hard, to get his attention. Mr. Weasley had been speaking to him, but he hadn't heard.

"I'm sorry. What did you say?" he asked in a low voice.

Mr. Weasley was glowering at Harry. When he spoke again, his tone was cold. "What are your intentions with my daughter, Harry." Every set of eyes on him - all the Weasley men - were stony. Fleur's cheeks were hot as she glared at Bill, who was ignoring her in favour of scowling at Harry. She clearly didn't like this, but wasn't stepping in to run interference. Mrs. Weasley had put her head in her hands, like she wanted to block out everything that was happening around her.

Harry's chest ached. This was supposed to be _his_ family, too. They'd all said it at one time or another. He cleared his throat. _It isn't_ you _I don't trust._ "We're friends. It... it isn't like that."

"Isn't like what?" George growled.

"I haven't... I wouldn't-"

"Yeah, right." George muttered, dismissively.

"I don't think I'm comfortable with this arrangement," Mr. Weasley said in a clipped voice.

"What arrangement?" Harry asked, his heart dropping.

"You living here. It's not appropriate. We can't be here to watch you all the time. Ginny is still in school. She has a future ahead of her and I'll be damned if I let something happen to her now." Mr. Weasley's tone was final. "I think it would be best if you stayed with Bill until you can make other arrangements."

"You want me to leave?" He didn't care how his voice cracked.

"Yes. I think it's for the best."

Harry stared another moment. No one shifted or cleared their throat to come to his defence. He took a breath and held it, squaring his shoulders. There was nothing to argue. It was their house. He was only one of their son's friends, after all. He was of age. He wasn't their responsibility and Ginny was. He walked up the stairs to Ron's room, not making any unnecessary noises. His rucksack was easy to pack. He'd had to discard most of his clothes after a year of living rough. He had two spare VAC uniforms in addition to the one he was wearing and a few clothes from Remus' closet Andromeda had helped him resized. His most treasured possessions were still packed in the moleskin pouch around his neck. He left a note for Ron, hoping that he wouldn't react like his brothers or parents.

He took one last look at the bright orange room before he closed the door. He didn't want to stay with Bill. If the look Fleur had given her husband was any indication, his presence there would only cause friction between the couple. Was Grimmauld Place in any fit state? Could he stay with Seamus for a night? Or Neville? He knew where both lived, now. Luna wasn't too far, but he was fairly certain she and her dad were on holiday. Should he risk letting a room in Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade? Would Obafemi let him stay for a few nights? Could he go to Andromeda?

He faltered on the steps as the reality dawned on him.

_I'm homeless. I've been homeless for a year._

Hermione had taken the tent with them to Australia. They didn't have much spending money, and that was with the money Harry had forced on them since he couldn't come with to help. Of course this had to happen when they were gone.

He would figure it out. He'd been alone most of his life. He could handle this.

Ginny's door opened a crack as he passed.

"Where are you going?" she asked, accusing.

He didn't meet her eyes as he whispered, "they've asked me to leave."

He expected a sharp intake of breath and a stamped foot, then another bout of yelling and raging downstairs. He didn't expect her to turn her head away to stare at the door frame as her lip quivered and her eyes filled. "I'm so sorry, Harry."

"Don't be. I'll be fine."

"It's not fine. Don't say it's fine, because it's not." He nodded absently, then remembered his train of thought earlier.

"Ginny?" he asked, tentatively. "I know it's not my business, but what you said about, you know... having sex. I was just... I wanted to...."

"We aren't together," she stated in warning.

He took a deep breath and looked her in the eye. "I know that. I'm not trying to pry, like.... I can only imagine how fucked up things were at Hogwarts this year, and I just.... Was it your choice? Are you okay?"

She blinked rapidly. "Oh. Yeah." She cleared her throat. "Yes to both."

He smiled half-heartedly. "One less person to track down, then."

She let out a short, wet chuckle. She scuffed her toe against the floor, not looking at Harry again. "It was Colin. I snuck out from Auntie Muriel's whenever she was being awful. It just...happened once."

He nodded, surprised and not surprised at once. "You didn't have to tell me. But, I'm glad it wasn't some tosser. Colin's a good guy. He was, I mean. He always seemed like-"

"He was a good friend."

An awkward silence passed between them. Harry's brows furrowed and he let slip a thought he would have kept to himself on any normal day. "How did you sneak out? Colin didn't have a floo, did he?"

Ginny snorted. "You aren't the only one who's made friends with a house elf."

A slow smile stretched across his face. "Can you imagine Dobby trying to set up a booty call for me?"

"Oh god, I can. What about Kreacher?"

A throat clearing interrupted their laughter. Mr. Weasley and Bill were standing at the foot of the stairs, waiting for him.

Harry's face fell and he waved half-heartedly to his ex and one of his closest friends. "Sorry. I'll see you around, Gin."

"Bye, Harry."

\--**--**--**--

Harry stayed at Grimmauld Place for the first week after being kicked out. It had taken all his skills as a VAC to create a safe path to Sirius' old room. Yaxley may not have been able to bring anyone else into the house after hitching a ride with Hermione in their escape from the Ministry because of the Fidelius, but he certainly was thorough in his hexing and jinxing and trapping. Kreacher had returned to help him, somehow able to sense as soon as he crossed the threshold to the Black family house. The Weasley's hadn't protested too hard when he refused to stay at Shell Cottage, which further twisted the knife in his chest. He took a day to wallow and clean, then he volunteered for as many hours as he could, choosing to keep himself busy with the VAC. He split his time between two teams now. Hestia was only able to patrol three evenings a week once she started working again, and Obafemi's job at the Ministry had been reinstated, which restricted his free time, as well.

Harry was now working with Auror Savage and Sturgis Podmore nearly every day. The benefit of working with an auror was that his shifts were much more exciting. By the end of his first week he'd been in four scuffles, all of which led to an arrest, and they had followed up on a major lead on Mulciber, but they only managed to find his abandoned hide out.

He had received a few letters from Ginny, care packages from Mrs. Weasley and Fleur, and a note from Andromeda asking after him. He had abandoned his schedule with Teddy without warning. At first, he reasoned that it would be rude to arrive without his standard casserole dish, and then he was honest with himself that he didn't want her to see him wallowing. But his guilt got the better of him and he spent the evening with Andromeda and Teddy, enjoying a takeaway meal for a change.

Let it never be said that baby cuddles can't mend a broken heart. Andromeda didn't press him on what happened, but by his third visit she had figured out the story.

"You'd be more than welcome here, Harry."

He looked at her sceptically. "Surely you wouldn't want to give up your privacy?"

"I feel the opposite, actually. I hate the quiet. Ted and Dora were never the quiet sort." She sighed sadly. "But I understand if you want _your_ privacy. Should that change, even if it's just an occasional night, you are welcome here." She smiled at him, one that managed to reach her eyes. "I appreciate you being here for me and Teddy. Dora and Remus would never have seen you turned out, and I don't intend to, either."

He returned her smile, shyly. "I think I'll take you up on that, if you're sure."

\--**--**--**--

Harry spent his second true birthday party with Teddy and Andromeda. Ginny floo'd over after dinner for a bit of cake and the promise to Andromeda to get him out of the house for a bit of fun. She had brought tidings from Ron and Hermione, who hadn't thought to send a letter directly to Harry since they assumed he was still at the Burrow with everyone. They hadn't managed any progress in reversing the memory charm so far, having located her parents a few days prior. Hermione was consulting a specialist hospital in Melbourne and Ron was diligently trying to help her sort through healer journals for any clues, much like he had before Buckbeak's appeal.

The Weasley house was still tense following Harry's departure. Ginny had made her displeasure known, and wasn't trying to hide her ever more frequent night time excursions. Harry wouldn't have cared, except the Weasley men all seemed to assume she was sneaking out to see Harry, not drink herself silly with the DA. Bill and Charlie glared at him across rooms whenever their VAC shifts overlapped, and George made a point to knock shoulders if they passed each other. Harry joined the DA parties occasionally, but he was more content spending time with Teddy. He needed to be useful.

\--**--**--**--

He was useful, but not in the way he had ever intended when he moved in with Andromeda.

A few days into August, after one of his night shifts with Hestia and Obafemi, he was just climbing into his bed after checking on Teddy, when he heard a tinkle from downstairs. He was dead tired from a double-shift and was ready to dismiss the noise, but then he felt the fluttering against his magical core. A tell-tale sign of a _homenum revelio._

He reacted on instinct.

 _"Expecto Patronum"_ he whispered, conjuring Prongs. "Go to Bill Weasley, Shell Cottage. Bill, someone's broken into Andromeda's. Send help."

Harry pulled the invisibility cloak out of his moleskin pouch covering himself and padding across the hall to Andromeda's room. " _Silencio,"_ he whispered, casting on Andromeda, then shaking her awake roughly. "Someone's downstairs." Her eyes widened in alarm and she slid out of bed, automatically setting her feet into slippers. Harry handed her the invisibility cloak and her wand. "Take this, get yourself and Teddy to safety. I've already called Bill."

She nodded without argument before disappearing under the cloak. Harry peaked through the crack in the door. A hulking figure was carefully walking up the stairs, visible from the chest up. " _Lumos solem!"_ Harry cried, flooding the landing in a bright light. The men on the stairs stumbled back shielding their eyes, and Harry silently cast the knock-back jinx at the leader. Fenrir Greyback hurtled down the stairs, taking down two cloaked figures below. The werewolf quickly sprung back to his feet, though the shorter man below him was slow to stand. Harry's wand moved furiously, casting silently, keeping up a series of shields that stopped the intruder's progress. There was no other way downstairs, so unless Andromeda risked apparating with a three month old, which every baby book warned against, her options were flying out a window, jumping out the window with a strong cushioning charm and escaping on foot, or waiting it out, hoping Harry and the Order could protect them.

He'd promised to keep Teddy safe.

The Death Eaters gained a step. _Steps! Hermione, you beautiful, brilliant witch._ " _Glisseo._ "

The three Death Eaters collapsed as the steps disappeared into a slide. They began to stand where they landed in the middle of the sitting room. " _Depulso!"_ He cried, sending the sofa crashing into them, using a sticking charm to keep them occupied for a moment longer. "KREACHER! _Protego!"_

With a crack, Kreacher was at his side. Harry threw up another shield. "Andy's in the nursery with Teddy. _Protego!_ Protect them. Get them out if you can. Keep them safe. Please, Kreacher, go!"

The elf cracked away and a fainter crack sounded down the hall. Harry continued throwing jinxes at the Death Eaters below. He was taking advantage of the high ground, but he lost sight of a Death Eater that darted for cover in the kitchen.

Chunks of the ceiling fell around him. He hadn't wanted to cast destructive curses in Andromeda's house, but the Death Eaters felt no such qualms.

A creak from behind him was his only warning. He side-stepped the curse cast at his back, hitting the Death Eater with a stunner, but not before a bone breaker hex hit his leg from the Death Eaters below. He yelled in pain as he collapsed onto the wooden slide, but his adrenaline let him stay present enough to cast a shield as he slid head first to the ground floor.

Fenrir Greyback lunged out from behind the sofa. He had stuffed his wand in his belt, preferring to use his strength, claws, and animalistic nature to maul people. Like Bill and Lavender. _And Remus._

 _"Flipendo!"_ Harry cried, sending Greyback across the room. Would Andromeda ever forgive him if he destroyed her house?

_Fuck it, we'll find out._

In quick succession, Harry cast silently _Bombarda,_ the screamed "PROTEGO!"

The sofa exploded sending splinters in to the werewolf sat atop it, and the Death Eater crouched behind cried out in pain. Harry could see through his shield before the dust and splinters obscured the scene. Greyback recovered quickly and was lunging through the dust, singed fabric, and floating fluff.

 _"Depulso!"_ Harry yelled, frantic for some space between himself and the monster. His spell wasn't very effective, so Harry cast it repetitively, sending objects from around the sitting room crashing into Greyback. Teddy's playpen, a grandfather clock, the arm chair, wireless, and even a set of shoes Harry hastily enlarged to comical size hurtled into the man. It did little more than rile him up further. The Death Eater had used the distraction to crawl into the kitchen for cover. He had apparently recovered enough to start throwing hexes at Harry, as well. Harry was still slumped in an awkward position at the foot of the stairs, and having to deflect advances from opposite sides of the room was not going to end well for him.

_Where the fuck is the Order?_

_"Reducto!"_ Harry blasted the potted plants that partially shielded the Death Eater in the kitchen, and the man recoiled, just as a snarl pierced the air from Harry's right. Greyback threw Teddy's activity quilt at him, obstructing Harry's view for precious moments as the werewolf attacked. The quilt was flicked to the side only for Harry to be confronted with Greyback's most sadistic gleam.

 _"IMPEDIMENTA!"_ Harry cried once more, but the man had too much momentum to be stopped outright. Panicked, knowing he was seconds away from a brutal mauling, Harry screamed, _"DIFFINDO!"_

He didn't know what possessed him to use that spell. He knew already that the werewolf was not easily affected by stunning charms, but a severing charm wasn't necessarily the logical next step. Harry's wand movements were difficult and uncontrolled from his spot on the floor. He had wanted to take out Greyback's legs, something Moody had lectured at length about what seemed like a lifetime ago. He missed horribly, yet wonderfully, and he came to that realisation as hot, thick blood splattered onto his face and body, and a head hit the floor with a hefty _thunk!_

Greyback's body seemed to take an age to fall, seemingly held aloft by the force of the blood gushing from his severed neck. Red painted the walls and furniture with macabre finesse. The man collapsed into Ted's prized piano, which Harry hadn't been able to launch at the man earlier even though it was the heaviest and largest item in the room, knowing it's sentimental value to Andromeda. Blood gushed onto the floor, seeping into the rug and pooling under the beloved wooden instrument. It was a horrifying sight, even if the man was a monster and undeniably deserved all the pain Harry could bring to him.

Harry stared, completely stunned at what had happened. A scuttling noise brought his attention back to his situation. The Death Eater in the kitchen was giving Harry a reprieve, even if it was only out of shock, and Harry made to capitalise on the moment. Harry couldn't ignore the throbbing of his broken leg. He'd been taught first aide during his VAC training. He cast a spell to splint his leg, the same Remus had used on Ron after Padfoot broke it chasing after Wormtail. The pain wasn't any less, but he moved anyway. Rolling awkwardly to a seat, he used the banister to stand up.

_Where are Bill and the Order? They really should be here by now._

_"Homenum revelio,"_ he whispered, not able to focus enough through the pain to cast silently. The Death Eater he had stunned was the only one upstairs and the only other life was huddled deeper in the kitchen. _Kreacher must have gotten Andy and Teddy out. Thank Merlin._ A headless Greyback was laid out mere meters from Harry, but his presence wasn't registered by the spell. _Wait...Holy shit, I just kill Fenrir Greyback?_

Harry edged his way to the kitchen, not wanting to think on what he'd done, and not wanting to wait for the fight to come to him. He peered cautiously around the doorway only to jerk quickly back as a jet of orange light passed in front of his nose. The Death Eater was hiding behind the kitchen island. They exchanged curses, ducking behind the island and wall in turns. _Where was the Order? Bill wouldn't abandon them out of petty anger, would he? Should he have called Hestia or Sturgis instead? No, he wasn't sure either knew where Andromeda lived._

Deciding to change tactics, Harry charmed the dish towel hanging from the oven handle to fly at the Death Eater and wrap itself tightly around his face. Harry limped forward as quickly as he could, ducking and shielding silently as the man cast wildly while trying to pull the towel away from his face. " _Stupefy!"_ The man slumped back, unconscious. Harry felt a wave of relief knowing all three Death Eaters were incapacitated. He conjured ropes and turned to do the same to the Death Eater upstairs and Greyback, since the reality of his death had yet to sink in.

"Impressive, Mr. Potter." A silky voice drawled behind him. His whole body had stiffened unnaturally, seizing his lungs so he could draw in short, shallow breaths only. His wand slipped backwards through his palm with a murmured _'accio wand.'_ He was rotated to face two tall, unmasked Death Eaters. Rowle and Travers were standing in Andromeda's kitchen. "We honestly weren't expecting you here. Greyback wouldn't shut up about his 'little orphaned cub,' and we thought, why not? Maybe we could draw you out in the process. You always were a sucker for a rescue mission," Travers sneered.

"I thank you for saving us the trouble. The Weasley house has so many layered wards. Haphazard. Messy, but effective. We figured it would take ages to get at you there, but here? The wards are your standard variety," Rowle gloated.

"Easy if you know how they work," said Travers.

"And as you can see, we do."

"And wouldn't you know, people who can dismantle wards like that can erect wards just as easily?" Travers said, walking closer, surveying Harry.

"It's almost comical, watching your little Order friends frantically try to get their way in here."

"It's truly incredible your side won the war."

"I wouldn't put my money on it happening again."

"No point betting on a race that's been cancelled," Harry said through gritted teeth, anger rising in tandem with his fear. He fought the magic binding him, but it was no use. Rowle was twirling Harry's holly wand in his fingers, smirking. Travers was the one holding Harry still, face twisted in a manic smile.

"I do so love the cheeky ones. Promise you'll keep it up, Potter. Don't want you breaking too soon." Travers winked.

" _Crucio!"_

Rowle's spell landed true and Harry was writhing in all consuming pain. His thrashing limbs were released from the binding spell, and the pain only grew as his splinted leg slammed into the kitchen island over and over. The two men's laughter and taunting was drowned by Harry's shrieks. He couldn't control himself. The pain wouldn't stop. If he was being ripped open with a blunt saw, he might have been in less pain. He vomited through his clenched jaw, choking as the liquid was trapped by his own teeth.

Then the wild thrashing stopped, and he released his jaw, coughing vomit onto his bare chest.

_I'm going to be tortured to death wearing nothing but a ratty pair of boxers. There is no god._

"Go wake up the kid. It's high time he prove himself," Travers said to Rowle, who turned to the sitting room. He stomped up the stairs after reversing Harry's slide charm. "But first, my turn. _Crucio."_

Travers' curse was worse. There was little point debating the intensity of the spell when even the weakest person can cause pain with it, but Harry had nothing else to focus on. The kid, Otis May - a Ravenclaw two years older than him, did not have a particularly strong curse, but Harry's screams were extracted nonetheless. They had awoken the other man and sent him to keep watch of the Order's progress from the front porch.

It seemed somehow worse that his backup was there, just unable to get to him. _At least Andromeda and Teddy are safe. Please let them be safe. Kreacher, too._

As his torture continued, he was sorely tempted to call the house elf to help him again, but knew he'd only get Kreacher killed, like Dobby. He just had to keep it together until the Order broke through. And really, dying wouldn't be the worst thing ever. _I have people waiting for me. Teddy will still have Andromeda. Ron, Hermione, and the Weasleys have each other. I could have peace._

He had a plan, though he couldn't put it in action unless the Death Eaters turned away from him. Harry still had Malfoy's wand as a back up in his moleskin pouch. He had repaired his holly wand and preferred using it, but the hawthorn wand was still loyal to him. If they would look away for a few seconds, he could loosen the tie and pull the wand out, blast the kitchen apart or something. Try to make a run for it or put up shields and call Kreacher then. Maybe if he rolled onto his other side, facing away from them he could get it? Or if he turned on his stomach? Would they be able to see what he was doing then? He couldn't afford to give himself away.

Harry gritted his teeth as the unrelenting agony persisted. The two older Death Eaters were giving tips to Otis May, who was admittedly a quick study. They interspersed the cruciatus curse with other little tortures. They slashed deep cuts in his skin and began breaking each bone in his wand hand one by one. Travers produced a small dropper bottle from his robe and had Otis squeeze drops of potion onto his fresh cuts. They watched his face twist in misery as the burning spread and Harry's fingers worked furiously at his flesh trying to wipe away the poison from his blood stream. Then he twitched and shrieked from another round of the cruciatus. They delighted in a particular curse that made him experience the sensations of suffocation even though he knew he was still breathing. He wondered if he was too young for a heart attack or a stroke? Harry wondered if he waited any longer if he'd be able to cast at all for how violently he was shaking. His thoughts were becoming foggy, too, but the Death Eaters made sure he stayed conscious.

Conscious didn't mean coherent, though. His mind took a step back from himself to analyse his situation. He was at the mercy of four men, on the floor in his pants thrashing around in pools of his own blood, urine, vomit, drool, and tears. He was a gory mess. His skin was coated in the muck. He was disgusted with himself. He was utterly humiliated. He thought he had won. He thought there were only three - _he had checked!_ \- but Travers and Rowle got the drop on him and made him pay. Moody would have been disappointed. Harry would step off the Afterlife Express to a crowded platform of his waiting family and friends, and Moody would push to the front and scream, "for fuck's sake, boy! CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" And Tonks would appear at his shoulder with her hip popped out to the side and she'd say, "come on now, Mad Eye, not like that'll do him any good here. Wotcher, Harry!" Then Sirius would sweep him up in a hug and introduce him to his parents, who would be lovely and everything he ever dreamed. Colin would be there, camera clicking away, capturing every moment of their tearful reunion. Later on Fred would make him laugh and tell him about all the women in the afterlife, and Remus would rescue him from being set up on a date with Lavender, or heaven forbid, Moaning Myrtle. They'd share a cup of tea in his study - because of course Remus would have a study in the afterlife - and Harry would tell him everything about Teddy he and Tonks had missed in the last two and a half months.

He welcomed those thoughts of the next adventure as his hope of escaping or being rescued drained. These monsters would leave him here in Andromeda's usually pristine kitchen, dead and ruined for his friends to find. Tomorrow's headline would be 'Boy-Who-Lived Bested in Midnight Raid.' He hoped Rita Skeeter wouldn't be the one writing, because surely she'd leave out the detail he was wearing pants and tell the world he scandalously slept in the nude.

"They're making progress," the watch dog shouted from the porch door, bringing Harry back to himself. All three of his torturers walked to the door to inspect the damage to their wards and assess how much time they had left before the Order descended. This was his moment. The hawthorn wand tingled his palm as it settled shakily into place. He used his left hand to wrap the broken digits of his right around his wand and hold steady, taking aim. Harry didn't hesitate to rethink this terrible plan. They had come for his godson, and damn it all he'd promised to keep him safe! He didn't care in that moment if he was caught up in the spell in equal measure, he just wanted the torture to be over and he wanted to keep these monsters from hunting down and torturing anyone else. There had been enough funerals already.

"BOMBARDA MAXIMA!"

\--**--**--**--

The dark, swirling cloud of dust that hung around him was a far cry from the white mists that formed King's Cross the last time he died. But he was fairly certain he had died. He'd seen the walls of Andromeda's kitchen explode, watched bodies rip apart as they were pushed violently outwards by the force of his spell, and seen the ceiling collapse on him before the world went black and silent. But it wasn't silent anymore because his ears were ringing. He could hear whimpering and moaning, but it wasn't coming from a misshapen child-like body under a bench. It was coming from himself, he realised, because he was decidedly in pain here, and definitely not clean in all his near-naked state.

He wasn't dead.

He tried to move, but pain shot through him. His leg was still broken, but this was a different sort of hurt. He was laying on his stomach, head resting against the corner base of the kitchen island, and a section of the fractured ceiling was sloping from the counter above to a spot mid-thigh, where the material was cutting into the back of his legs. A large splinter of wood was sticking out of his back and a dark pool of blood had formed below him. His left arm was under his chest, useless for all that it had fallen asleep from the weight of his body. He brought his right arm to his side stiffly, even the isolated motion causing pain to wrack through his whole body. The hawthorn wand had rolled out of his reach; he must have dropped it when he was rendered unconscious. He couldn't see any signs of movement in the gap in the debris in front of him.

Andromeda would not be pleased at the state of her house. He waffled for another moment before making up his mind.

"Kreacher," he croaked, a bubble of blood breaking against his lips as he spoke. The elf appeared with a sharp _crack!_ and stooped into the space between the propped up ceiling and floor.

Kreacher gasped. "Master Harry is wounded," he croaked out, blunt as ever.

"Andy and Ted?" Harry wheezed the question.

"Mistress Andromeda and the little master is being safe at the Lupin cottage," Kreacher said from his knees as he inspected Harry with gentle fingers. "Kreacher is getting them to safety on Master Orion's carpet."

Harry furrowed his brow. "What?"

"The flying carpet from the trunk in the attic. Master Orion was a naughty boy. Always racing his friends. Even after it is being illegal. Kreacher hopes Master Harry is not angry, but they's being safe for babies."

Harry coughed raggedly, spitting out blood, eyes streaming.

"Kreacher is getting Master Harry help now." The old elf was gone with a _crack!_ His eyes drooped, succumbing to the pain once again.

He woke groggily with a pain-filled moan as he was jostled. He opened his eyes expecting the same sight of dark, swirling dust and littered debris, but instead was greeted by a well-lit, jean-clad crotch. The ceiling that had been cutting into his thighs had been moved along with other bits of rubble. The kitchen was artificially lit by free-floating balls of light and a small crowd was hovered over him. Charlie Weasley was kneeling at his head, seemingly unconcerned with the mess of blood, vomit, and dust. On closer inspection, most of the mess had been cleared away and what remained was new blood the healers were attempting to staunch. A ring of faint blue light was at the bottom of Harry's vision; it formed a bubble around his nose and mouth that expanded and contracted in pulses as he breathed. Harry couldn't move his neck to inspect the room further, for firm hands were keeping it in place. He heard Kingsley's deep voice booming instructions and the distinctive _crack!_ of Kreacher apparating. Auror Savage guided a balding brunette man by the shoulders, clearing a path through bits of rubble as they walked with his face upturned, chanting steadily producing a golden cage that wrapped around the walls and conjuring support beams . They moved out of his field of vision just as the hem of a lime green healer's robe passed behind Charlie.

"Got it!" a woman said triumphantly, stepping over his legs and dropping to a place on his other side with a bulging bag, across from the healer working feverishly at his hip. Harry thought there might be more people by his feet, but couldn't be sure with the blue mask obstructing his peripheral vision.

"-have to wait to remove it in theatre or he could bleed out. It's lacerated his kidney."

"Can we wait that long? The wards won't allow us through by portkey."

"We'll get him stable then walk him to the ward boundary if we have to. We can't risk the infection by operating here. Hold him steady while I cut this flush so we can roll him."

Harry felt hands on him and he shuddered, groaning in pain at the contact.

"Harry?" Charlie bent down to look in his eye. "Hanson, he's awake!"

"Hi there Harry, I'm Healer Hanson. We're going to get you ready to move to hospital. We need you to keep still, alright?" Healer Hanson's tone was strained, but commanding as he addressed Harry. He turned back to Charlie. "Keep him steady. Keep him calm, whatever you do."

"You're doing great, Harry. We've got you. Bill and Fleur are still breaking down the wards, but we'll be at St. Mungo's in a jiff. Don't worry, we've got you." Harry squeezed his eyes shut as Charlie spoke while the healers prodded and poked.

"Minister, we've got another one back here!" Savage called, then Kingsley and two sets of legs scrambled through his field of vision as they made for the sitting room. _They must have found Greyback._

A chunk of wood was tossed over Hanson's shoulder, followed by pressure and pain radiating from his midsection as his wound was wrapped and tightly secured. "There! Places everyone! Rolling on my count." More hands descended, but before he could start the countdown, a beeping sound he thought had been in his head sped up and the healer cried, "wait, brace!" He felt the familiar seizing of his muscles and his every nerve-ending fired, pulling another broken cry from him as he began to convulse.

"Shit! Shit! Hold him steady!"

"What's happening?" Mr. Weasley's concerned voice asked from somewhere above him, out of sight.

"Cruciatus aftershock," the healer said in a strained voice as he pushed down on Harry's back and hip to keep him still. "Bader! Push another vial!"

Harry must have blacked out, because the next time he woke he was floating on a stretcher and a cloudless night stretched above him. A healer was holding two large, cylindrical glass vials above him, the smaller one a dark red and the larger one a faint translucent purple. The liquids flowed down to his right arm through thin tubes. She walked briskly beside his stretcher. A stiff collar held his head and neck in place. He was on his back and he could see his chest and arms were a mess of gauze pads, bleeding through where the deeper gashes were. A thick splint enveloped his right leg, and his right hand was similarly secured at his side. Thick strips of leather were pulled taut from one side of the stretcher to the other, holding him in place. The team of healers walked in a ring around them, wands illuminating their path and some carrying hastily packed bags of supplies over their shoulders. 

The healer carrying the vials noticed his wandering eyes. "He's awake!"

Healer Hanson leaned in with a strained smile. "Hey, kid. We're almost out of here, then we can give you something for the pain. Hold on, just a few more meters."

A bright flash of light burst, then a faint, blurry line of light whisked across the sky. A cry of cheers and whoops sounded in the distance.

"Was that the ward?" The vial healer asked. "Can we go now?"

"I'm not" - _crack!_ \- "sure," Healer Hanson said just as Kreacher appeared in front of them.

"The wards are destroyed. Weezy says you may be leaving by portkey or apparition now," the elderly house elf croaked.

"Thank Merlin." The stretcher stopped and he was lowered to the ground. The vial healer set the vials on the stretcher by Harry's shoulder and grabbed one side of the stretcher as Healer Hanson grabbed the other side. The other healers began apparating away in a smattering of _pops!_ Healer Hanson tapped the stretcher with his wand, muttering "spell damage surgery, Healer Hanson, ID 2674," and the stretcher glowed blue as they spiralled away.

The bright white halls of St. Mungo's appeared and Harry was quickly levitated onto a bed, where the vials were attached to a rod above him and he was sped down a corridor. Healer Hanson shouted out orders to the assembled healers as they moved Harry into theatre. Two more vials were hung above him, lurid green and midnight blue, and the tubing was spliced with the others already attached to his arm. His eyes felt heavy seconds later and he mercifully drifted off.

\--**--**--**--

He floated in and out, never quite waking, for an indeterminate amount of time. The steady beeping was a constant sound around him. He heard people speaking in low voices, though he couldn't register their words or who they might be. He vaguely felt hands in his hand, but couldn't muster the presence of mind to squeeze back. He heard the clicking and scraping of knitting needles, out of sync with the beeping in the silence. He recognised Teddy's cries briefly, knowing it was his hungry cry demanding a bottle, but when he fluttered his eyes open, he only saw a retreating figure and a door closing. He heard a male voice call his name, but he was already under again.

\--**--**--**--

Was the beeping really necessary? Was there really no other way in all of the magical world for them to track his heart beat? Did he have to hear it? Why couldn't they silence it? Or was the point of it to annoy him into waking up? Had that ever worked? Madam Pomfrey had never resorted to anything that beeped, so it seemed like it must be a choice. _Bastards._

\--**--**--**--

Hermione was sniffling. He'd recognise her sniffles anywhere. He'd heard them enough in the weeks after Ron left to know with certainty it was her sitting by his bed.

_Had they been called back from Australia? Was Ron here, too? How long had he been out? God, he'd missed them._

He felt his face twitch, but he couldn't open his eyes. He wanted to see her, though. He wanted her to know he was still there and she didn't need to cry. He thought he could feel pressure in his palm, meaning someone was holding his hand, but his limbs were so heavy. He couldn't seem to connect his brain to his body to make his fingers move. _This is so frustrating. MOVE, DAMNIT!_

His fingers didn't move, but a pathetically weak groan escaped his chest.

Silence. Then frantic scrambling to stand.

"Harry?" Ron's voice sounded by his right ear and a warm hand gently shook his shoulder.

Hermione's colder hand touched his face, then carded through his hair. "Harry? Can you open your eyes?"

He tried, but he couldn't.

Ron's voice called more insistently. "Harry. Harry, mate. Wake up, come on. Please."

He tried so hard he was surprised he hadn't pushed out a fart with the effort of trying. Instead only a choked, sob-like groan sprung straight from his chest again.

"Ron, go get the healer," Hermione said urgently. "He sounds in pain."

He heard Ron's long strides carry him away and he wanted to call him back. He wanted to wake up. He just needed the numbness to fade. Hermione continued carding her fingers through the hair at his temple. "We're right here, Harry. Hold on. Help is coming. Just rest."

He groaned again and a tear leaked out onto his cheek, which Hermione quickly wiped away. "I'm so sorry, Harry. Help is coming, I promise."

Ron returned with a healer, who himmed and hawed as he checked him with hands colder than Hermione's. Harry was rolled onto his side so he could inspect the dressings on his back, but he was laid back in place moments later.

"He shouldn't be in any pain considering his potions regimen. This could be him trying to wake up. It's best he rest longer, though, so I'll give him a mild sleep draught." _NO! THAT'S THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT I WANT!_

His protest came out as a pitiful moan. "I think he can hear us," the healer chuckled in an undertone. He actually chuckled, then raised his voice. "It's not time yet, Mr. Potter. Sweet dreams."

_Sod off._

\--**--**--**--

He did wake up, though. He couldn't be sure how much later it was, but it was still Ron and Hermione in his dimly-lit room. The only light was coming from a small lamp in the corner by an empty armchair. There were no other beds and the space was small, so Harry was in a private room like Charlie had been in after the attack in June. Hermione was curled up on a small cot, low to the ground, with a Weasley quilt pulled up to her chin. Ron was sitting next to him with his elbows on the bed and his face buried in his hands. Harry couldn't tell if he was sleeping. His posture seemed too stiff for sleep, but he was probably resting in some form, so he didn't want to bother him, yet.

Harry could feel his body better this time. The numbness wasn't as strong, but his limbs still felt heavy. A Weasley quilt covered his lower half up to his hips. Thick bandages were stuck to his torso and arms, only slivers of skin visible between them. His swollen right hand was secured in a metal cage-like contraption with thin wires holding his fingers securely in place, and he thought he could feel the sharp twinges he associated with Skele-Gro.

He focused on his feet. Lumps covered in hand-stitched fabric. He wanted to wiggle his toes. He stared and stared, trying to detect the slightest movement of the quilt in the low light. _YES! IT WORKED!_

He focused on his left hand and his index finger twitched, then shot up and back down with a crisp _plop!_ He moved each finger and flexed his hand open and closed again.

Ron shifted a little, but hadn't seemed to catch the movement. That was okay though. He didn't want to disturb him if he couldn't speak. That would be mean, right?

Harry tried to swallow. His tongue felt swollen and thick as it tried to remember how to move properly. His mouth and jaw moved in tandem and Harry licked his dry, cracked lips. _Here goes nothing._

"Ron." It came out a wet rasp. The 'r' was lost, so it was mostly a long 'uhn.'

He swallowed thickly and tried again. "Ron."

Ron's head snapped up from his hands this time, their eyes meeting for a long moment before Ron leapt to his feet and stood over Harry. His hands gripped either side of Harry's face. Harry pulled his lips up in a weak smile and said in a grunt, "hey."

Ron's face crumpled. His shoulders heaved with gut-wrenching sobs. He leaned over Harry awkwardly, their foreheads touching. Tears dropped onto Harry's face and he pulled his good arm up on instinct, gripping Ron's shoulder. Hermione was there by his side the next instant, pulling his hand away from Ron's shoulder planting a kiss on it as she, too, started crying tears of relief. Harry managed to pull her down for a hug, his hand cupping the back of her head.

"Never ever do that to us again, Harry," she scolded, wetly. "Ever!" Ron had pulled away, placing a hand on his upper arm but raised the other hand to his eyes as his tears persisted.

He punched Harry's arm lightly. "So" _\- sob-_ "worried."

"M'sorry," Harry sighed. Hermione kissed his knuckles again, then walked around the bed to comfort Ron at Harry's beckoning.

He continued sobbing and the odd, heartbreaking words crept out, like "thought I lost you" - "Fred" - "not ready" - "bloody hero" - "need you" - "stupid git!"

Harry kept repeating his apologies, wiping his own tears away as he fought the heaviness in his eyelids.

"Go back to sleep, Harry," Hermione whispered, fondly exasperated.

He shook his head. "'M alright, 'Mione. How're Teddy n'Dromeda?"

"They are both safe and completely unharmed. They'll be by in a few hours, so get some rest!"

"I blew up her house."

"Yeah, mate. Everyone knows," said Ron. "Everyone."

Harry groaned. "Does she hate me?"

"Nah. Seemed a bit more cut up about you than the house. Shocking, I know."

Harry's vision blurred and darkened. "Mmmm, they were there for Teddy. Had to keep'm safe."

"Oh, Harry."

\--**--**--**--

Andromeda swatted his head with a burping cloth when he tried to apologise for destroying her house. "The only thing you're allowed to apologise for, young man, is almost dying!"

"Hear, hear!" Ron grumbled from the cot. He and Hermione refused to leave and took it in turns to sleep every two or three hours. As far as Harry had seen, neither had gotten much sleep with the arrangement.

The healers had adjusted his bed so he was sitting up. Andromeda had settled Teddy to Harry's chest with a sling around his shoulders. The weight was uncomfortable against his wounds, but Harry wouldn't complain as Teddy smiled and gurgled up at him. Every touch, every sound, every sight was one more Harry hadn't thought he'd get while under the Death Eater's wands.

"He missed you terribly," Andromeda said. "We both did."

"I'm sorry."

"My sweet boy," she said, kissing the top of his head. "Enough with the apologies. You saved us both. Thank you."

\--**--**--**--

The Lupin Cottage became their home while Andromeda's house was repaired. Hermione and Andromeda worked some complex extension charms to add a third bedroom for Harry, as well as a nice space for Kreacher. Getting the elderly house elf to admit what he wanted had been an exercise in patience on Harry's part, but the result left an extra skip in Kreacher's step. The cottage was a small, one-story space with a wild garden.

They spent most of their time on a blanket in the shadow of a sprawling oak tree. Teddy had begun to squirm constantly and could turn himself over from his tummy to his back to his tummy again. He would sometimes prop himself up and look around in wonder, and Harry knew the little man would be crawling in no time. He was also slightly worried that Teddy's first word would be 'Kreacher' because the two were quite taken with each other. It was sweet, really.

They hosted a constant stream of Weasleys, Order and DA members, drinking tea or lemonade, eating bits of cake or finger sandwiches. To his chagrin, he would be on the mend for several weeks yet. He had spent four days unconscious in hospital and another ten being treated. Apparently, regrowing a kidney is fickle business at the best of times. The poison Travers had poured into his wounds drop by drop remained a mystery to the St. Mungo's potioneers, who did not appreciate Harry's less than helpful observation of, "it burned like a bitch, does that narrow it down?"

Whatever the poison was, it caused slow progress in his healing. The deepest wounds were still not fully sealed and he had to change the dressings twice a day. The healed cuts were ugly, purple scars, some of them raised and bumpy. He took more naps than Teddy and found himself eating as much as Ron.

Andromeda had smiled bright when he'd asked for her help letting out his trousers.

The worst part of his recovery were the aftershocks. He'd experienced several a day immediately after the incident, which had left the Weasleys rattled, seeing him thrash and scream in his hospital bed, still unconscious. He had been laughing with Ginny about the result of a professional quidditch match when the first aftershock hit that he could remember. The pain of the curse was real even if no one was there to cast it. The only medicine that seemed to help were muggle muscle relaxants and Harry hated how they made him feel, from the drowsiness to the constipation. The healers couldn't predict how long the aftershocks would haunt him. From the time Bill and Fleur received his Patronus to the time they saw the front wall of Andromeda's house explode was nearly four hours. It was just over five hours before the Death Eater's wards were broken down.

That was a lot of torture, and the cruciatus curse was unforgivable for a reason. Even when he wasn't experiencing an aftershock, Harry's legs would give out randomly, things would slip through his fingers without warning, or he would stop talking mid-sentence having no recollection of what he had been saying. He suffered migraines that left him vomiting with the pain. He had intensely vivid dreams and was incontinent on more than one occasion. The depression he felt some days was crippling.

Mrs. Weasley had wanted Harry to return to the Burrow so she could help with his every need. He kindly refused not least because the fact they had kicked him out in the first place still made his heart clench, no matter that he had been able to save Teddy and Andy as a result. He could walk, but he was weak, and stairs were bloody exhausting. That left the Burrow and Grimmauld Place out of the question in Harry's mind. They took the Lupin cottage off the market and Kreacher helped them refurnish the space they had been trying to sell. They set up a second bed in Harry's room, so he never spent a night alone. Ron, Hermione, Ginny, or Charlie would often spend the night with him making sure he woke up to take his potions every four hours, steadied him as he shuffled to and from the bathroom, and calmed him from his nightmares. Charlie accompanied him to every healer appointment. He was a qualified medic, a requirement for all managers at the reserve, and Harry found him most helpful in translating the healer's instructions and, more importantly, remembering what they were once Harry forgot hours later.

Hermione had used the time at St. Mungo's to continue her research into reversing memory charms. Harry had to convince his best friends to return to Australia to finish what they started before Hermione had to leave for Hogwarts. In their absence and with her majority reached, Ginny used her freedom to visit the cottage to help where she could nearly every day.

His dark days were less frequent when she was there, and on his darkest days, she crawled into his bed and held him without comment for hours. They weren't back together, but their friendship was ever more firmly cemented.

In his boredom, Harry helped Ginny study her sixth year course-work. Having Death Eaters control the school, doling out punishments, teaching a warped, pureblood supremacy-approved curriculum, and holding students hostage to make their parents cooperate hadn't fostered a good learning environment, so she was behind. Despite that, OWLs and NEWTs would cover the same material they always had, so the incoming fifth and seventh years in particular were facing pressure to study outside of school to catch up. Those in Harry's class that hadn't taken their NEWTs yet and weren't planning to repeat seventh year had started a study group and were planning to sit the exams in December. Ginny side-along apparated Harry to various friend's houses where they had (sometimes raucous) study sessions.

In the third week of September, Hogwarts was deemed repaired well enough for classes to resume. Madame Maxime had arrived after the Beauxbaton term ended in her Abraxan-drawn carriage with most of her teaching staff in tow to help repair Hogwarts. The Durmstrang ship had breached the Black Lake two days later and the Ilvermorny blimp landed by the greenhouses a day after that with a delegation of teachers, magical restoration experts, and volunteers from around the world. It was a testament to the damage wrought that even with hundreds of experts and skilled volunteers working tirelessly, it took four and a half months to make her functional.

Hermione and Ron returned having restored her parent's memories, but the desire to live in Australia remained firmly planted in their minds. The Wilkin's dental practice was flourishing and they seemed genuinely happy, so Hermione bought them and herself owls that were bred to travel long distances and returned to England.

Harry accompanied Ron, Hermione, and Ginny to Diagon Alley the week before term began for his first public outing since the raid. He was even more of a hero in people's eyes because now, besides defeating Voldemort, he was the only one to have made progress in the push to bring down the inner circle. While the DMLE and VAC had great success with bringing corrupt Ministry officials and lower ranking Death Eaters to justice, the inner circle had remained elusive. Harry had managed to bring three down in one night. Travers and Rowle had all been killed as a result of the explosion. Otis May had lost both legs and the other Death Eater from the porch, Darius Edgecombe, had been captured with only minor injuries.

Harry was determined to not let the attention bother him. He had missed Ginny's birthday and she wasn't looking forward to returning to Hogwarts with only Hermione in tow. Harry made it up to her the only way he knew how. He bought her a top-of-the-line broomstick. He had offered to buy her a Firebolt, but once he convinced her to accept, she chose the GMZ-87v - an international standard, German-made broom. It was only slightly less expensive than the Firebolt, but it was on par for speed and balance. The seat and footholds were more comfortable for her, and the handle was shorter and slimmer, which changed the balance point and allowed for faster manoeuvring. She was going to turn a lot of heads on that broomstick, and she boarded the train with a renewed determination.

Headmistress McGonagall had named Ginny quidditch captain and had also announced that the quidditch teams would be facing off against each house four times throughout the year to decide the standings for the quidditch final. The winner of the cup would then compete against Beauxbaton's winning team in a friendly, two-part championship at the end of the year. Each school would host one home game, and the prize was international bragging rights for a year, in what the Headmistresses were hoping would become a long-standing tradition. Hermione believed they were trying to use quidditch as a distraction from the horrors the students had experienced. Harry thought it was worth a shot. He would have jumped at the chance to play or watch more quidditch during the year either way.

With the girls gone, Ron kept Harry company during the days and nights, alternating studying, physiotherapy, and Teddy Time. By October, Harry had completed his potions regimen, his wounds were scarred over, and he was walking freely. He still experienced tremors and migraines, but the frequency was trending down. By November, Harry was building muscle on his scrawny frame as he and Ron began lifting weights to amp up his physiotherapy, especially once the weather turned and jogging became a cold, muddy mess. Teddy began crawling as Harry predicted, followed closely by a doting Kreacher, and they all had to be hyperaware of the boy's movements. He was a mischievous marauder in the making.

December saw Harry, Ron, Dean, Seamus, Parvarti, Justin, Hannah, Susan, Padma, and Morag celebrating their NEWTs completed. They had studied around their work schedules, taking it in turn to provide the venue, snacks, and enthusiasm to study independently. Harry would never not want to study over a pint now that he knew beer was the key to understanding transfiguration. Neville and Hermione were the only Gryffindors who returned to repeat seventh year, so they had been incorporated into the true seventh year's classes and dorms. Their study group pooled funds to rent out the Hogs Head on Hogsmeade weekends to meet up with their friends still studying at Hogwarts. This was partially because the media frenzy they experienced the one time they tried to have a study group at the Three Broomsticks, because the wizarding world couldn't get over the novelty of battle hardened teenagers. The Hogs Head was largely empty on Hogsmeade weekends anyway, so they figured Aberforth wouldn't be too put out. That was where they chose to celebrate once their exams were over. Professor McGonagall had released several students for a night - only those of age, and under the supervision of a staff member (Hagrid) - so they were able to celebrate together. Hermione made it almost an hour before she started asking for details about the exams, "you know, while it's still fresh." Ginny had pulled Harry aside to look at the newest photos of Teddy and give highlights of the last two quidditch matches. She had submitted a request to the quidditch league to scout her and the seventh year Hufflepuff keeper, Gordon Shaw. They would be coming to the Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff match in February and either could receive an invitation to the league trials in the spring.

They had a fun night amongst friends and former classmates. The current Hogwarts students were summoned by Headmistress McGonagall herself, who walked calmly up to the bar, ordered a shot of whisky, tipped her hat to Aberforth before rounding up the students efficiently. Professor McGonagall greeted each of her former students, congratulated them on their NEWTs completed and expressed her pride and hope for a good future. She had patted Harry's cheek fondly, asking after his health before asking if he could kindly fetch Ms. Granger. Ginny had dissolved in a fit of giggles as a flushed Harry hurried to retrieve Ron and Hermione from the bathroom. Harry left it up to Ginny to tell Hermione that her shirt was on inside out.

The party continued for some time after that. Ron had slunk home not long after his girlfriend departed, leaving Harry at the mercy of Seamus, since Dean had already left with Padma. He couldn't rightly recall how it had happened, but the next morning he woke up in an unfamiliar bed. He shot up, looking wildly at his surroundings - a tidy flat, with dark stained wood moulding and white plaster walls. He grabbed his glasses and wand from the bedside table and crept out to the main room. Morag MacDougal was bent over the counter, head in hands, as coffee percolated in a french press. She looked up as he padded into the room, smiling at him, then glaring, unimpressed, at his raised wand.

"Put that down, Potter or I'm not sharing this pot," she grumbled indignantly, her Scottish brogue thicker than usual.

He dropped his wand to his side, not letting it go. "Sorry. I, er, don't remember coming here."

Morag snorted. "I'm not surprised. You passed out pretty quick. Nearly didn't make it to the bed."

Harry's brow furrowed. He was fully clothed, apart from his shoes. Did something happen with her?

"Oh, Merlin, Harry. Tell your brain to stop working so hard. We snogged a bit and you fell asleep. I didn't molest you in your sleep if that's what you're thinking."

"No! I wasn't," Harry said in a rush. "I just don't remember."

She drummed her fingers on the counter and they stared at each other awkwardly for a moment.

"You said you didn't have a girlfriend last night. Are you and Ginny still...?"

"No! No, we aren't together. We're just friends. " Harry shrugged. "I'm not dating anyone. Promise."

She laughed, then teased, "what about me?"

Harry's eyes bulged wide and his face heated. His mouth opened but no words came out, which seemed to make her laugh harder.

"Relax, Harry. I was trying to diffuse the tension not create it," she said, filtering the french press and filling two mugs with the dark, steaming liquid. "Sorry. You're much better at bantering when you're a few pints in. This doesn't have to be a thing if you don't want it to be."

"I, er, I don't know what to think, honestly. I don't mean to be rude." Harry floundered in answering. He did get along well with Morag. She was the real reason his transfigurations improved, not the beer. She was kind, smart, and sarcastic. He hadn't ever considered that he might have feelings for her. He didn't want to be mean, but she wasn't the prettiest girl in their year. She wasn't a hag either, she was just a bit plain. She had wavy brunette hair, was short and had a stockier frame, but she wasn't overweight. She had light freckles and hazel eyes. Her teeth were crooked, but it made her shy smile even more endearing. She never wore makeup and she was quiet in crowds. He hadn't interacted with her much when they were at Hogwarts, but she was someone he had gravitated to in their study group. He had thought it was because he missed Hermione, but Morag was nothing like his friend.

Instead of getting offended by his bumbling, she slid the mug of coffee to him. "How about after this you freshen up and we'll get Scotch eggs from the shop around the corner and just be two friends recovering from a wild night, yeah?"

Harry sighed, gratefully. "Yes. Brilliant idea. All of it."

\--**--**--**--

The holidays were upon them in no time. Andromeda and Harry had remained at the cottage well after the repairs to her house had been completed. At first it was because Harry's recovery was taking so long and the single-story layout of the cottage was easier for him to get around. Then it was a matter of finding the right time to move their stuff back, since Andy had returned to work. After that it became clear that the reasons were more that both Andromeda and Harry saw this cottage a refuge. It was a safe place unburdened with bad memories. Yes, Remus and Tonks had lived here, but they had always been happy here. The Tonks house had so many memories and reminders of her lost family. The Tonks house was where Harry was tortured and almost lost himself. The place he had become a murderer. They agreed to celebrate Teddy's first Christmas in the cottage and then they would start the new year back at the Tonks house.

It was Hermione's idea for Harry to buy the Lupin's cottage. "You can't honestly tell me you _want_ to fix up Grimmauld Place and live there, Harry," she accused the second day back from Hogwarts. "It'll take loads of work to get done. Months of cleaning and renovation. You'll have to spend a small fortune redecorating it. And when you start a family of your own, there are so many stairs. You're already worried about Teddy falling down the _one_ flight of stairs at Andromeda's. How will you feel about the _four_ flights of stairs at Grimmauld Place?"

Harry stared at her confused. "But why would I buy this place if I'm living with Andromeda?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Surely you aren't planning to live with her forever?" She continued after his face looked more confused. "I'm sure she's not looking to get rid of you, but were you really planning to stay there until Teddy goes to Hogwarts? Would you still be there when he graduates? At some point, you might want a bit of space. This place already has a room for Teddy. You feel safe and comfortable here. It's not too big. It's peaceful and isolated, but still close to Andromeda. Why wouldn't you want to buy it?"

"But what if I leave and something happens to Teddy or Andromeda?" Harry asked. "And I'll miss so much of Teddy growing if I move out."

Hermione pulled Harry into a hug. "No one's saying you should leave right now, Harry. Don't worry about it. I shouldn't have said anything, I'm sorry. I was just thinking, you could buy this as an option. An investment for the future. If you never use it, you can sell it or even give it to Teddy as a graduation present."

"I'll think about it."

\--**--**--**--

George had reopened Weasley's Wizard Wheezes the first day of the winter holidays. Percy, with help from Charlie, had spearheaded the endeavour. George had thrown himself into his work as a VAC after Charlie was hurt and was even more obsessed after Harry's attack. They all agreed it seemed to be good for him to have a purpose and an outlet for his energy, but where the joke shop had been an outlet of positive, creative energy, the VAC was an outlet for his anger. He had received two warnings for how he handled the criminals they captured and they had considered suspending him from the program at one point. Percy had stepped in, being the one brother willing to bear the brunt of George's anger. At the end of it, Percy was living in the flat above the shop with George. They spent months in the fall cleaning the store and restocking the shelves with the colourful products. They made new products and retired others. Percy had reworked their bookkeeping and organised the office. Verity had been eager to work again, since Fred and George had never stopped paying her wages after the Death Eaters had forced the shop closed. The grand reopening was well attended by Hogwarts students, past and present, wanting to support George. The entire Weasley clan and Harry manned the counters and restocked the displays.

They were all exhausted by closing time, but as Verity, Lee, and Angelina passed around flutes of champagne, Harry couldn't help feel it was a bittersweet occasion.

George had never apologised for how he had reacted to the news of Harry having dated Ginny. Neither had Mr. Weasley, for that matter. Mrs. Weasley had done so with her care packages the week after he left and her constant fussing over him. Bill and Charlie had tried to laugh it off, but they weren't very close to Harry to begin with, so it seemed enough at the time. Percy was the only one to outright apologise, while also giving his blessing should he and Ginny begin dating again. Typical Percy. Ron and Ginny were still upset on Harry's behalf, and the result was supremely awkward encounters whenever Harry was with the Weasley clan.

Harry had been pressured into attending Christmas at the Burrow, though Andromeda and Teddy had been invited, as well. They came for Christmas dinner, having enjoyed a quiet morning of Teddy crawling in boxes and ripping bits of wrapping paper in his chubby hands before 'gifting them' back to Harry, soggy with saliva. Teddy had received his first, and potentially only, hand-knitted Potter sweater. Harry had taken photo after photo of the tyke, barely stopping long enough to open his own gifts. Andromeda received the attempt of her Potter sweater, and her tears of mirth were worth the self-deprecating embarrassment as she turned the lump of wool over and over as she tried to spot just where he had gone wrong.

By the end of the Weasley family dinner, he was ready to go home. It was another bittersweet gathering because he found the place he had once desperately wished was his home didn't hold the same meaning for him anymore. The Weasleys stumbled at times through their grief, out of sync with each other. When one half was ready to laugh, the other half were ready to cry. They rarely managed to all stay in the same room together, since someone was always ducking out of the room to collect themselves. George had fled to his flat, followed closely by Percy before the pudding was served.

Next year would be easier.

They moved back to the Tonks home on Boxing Day. Harry and Andromeda had been given lessons on their new wards. They had been assured they were the best a home like theirs could have. The rune maps definitely looked complicated to Harry, who was only vaguely aware of the different rune structures. He slept fitfully the first night, eventually plodding down to the sofa, then grabbing a blanket and settling himself down against the door, wand in hand.

Andromeda had not been pleased to find him there the next morning. She lectured him fiercely about trust and sanity and the dangers of obsessive behaviour. But once the first night was over with and he was reminded of the good things that had happened in that house, he relaxed and settled in. Eventually.

\--**--**--**--

Charlie was returning to his job in Romania on the fourth of January, so they had more than one reason to celebrate the New Year. They weren't able to rent out the Hogs Head on New Year's Eve, so they set up a tent on the beach by Shell Cottage and invited their friends to join. The tent was outside the ward boundaries, so Bill didn't mind hosting a large group of strangers. They brought in two kegs of beer, one light and one dark. They had cases of butterbeer and plenty of mixers. Beyond that, it was bring your own spirits. The wireless was amplified and temperature charms lined the massive party tent. Harry had invited the study group to join them, and a good number of the seventh years were in attendance. Members of the Order and VAC were there to send off Charlie and ring in the New Year. Ginny had begged George to set off a massive fireworks show over the ocean, so she had been conscripted to help set it up.

"You would not believe how much sand is in my bra right now!" Ginny said angrily before slamming back a shot of whisky.

"Ummmm..." Harry said, unhelpfully, keeping his eyes averted from her chest, but also wanting to offer to help.

"I would vanish it, but I'm worried I'll end up naked or something. This isn't even close to my first shot of the night." She tossed back another shot to prove her point.

"Maybe you could ask Hermione for help?" Harry suggested.

Ginny snorted. "No. I think she's busy getting sand stuck in places _way_ more uncomfortable than a bra."

"Gross, Gin. Do you always have to bring that up?"

"No, but Ron does apparently," she teased, waggling her eyebrows. Harry let out a frustrated sigh. Ron was insufferable the first time Hermione left for Hogwarts and he wasn't looking forward to him pining for the next month until the February Hogsmeade trip.

"You could always go up to the cottage and get it out the old fashioned way," Harry said, annoyed.

"Or I could keep teasing you."

"What are we doing, Ginny?" Harry said, suddenly serious. They were standing at a high top table in a corner of the tent, out of the way of the dancers and revellers.

"What do you mean, Harry?"

"You and me." He waved his index finger back and forth between them to accentuate his point. "Did you want to try again or is this over?"

She didn't respond for a while, but her eyes were a storm of conflicting emotions. She took a sip of whisky this time before responding. "I don't know what I want anymore. Besides quidditch, that is."

Harry snorted. "Well _that_ was never in doubt."

"Do _you_ want to get back together?"

He fidgeted with the half empty pint in his hand. "I thought I did ... but then ... your dad was so angry with me. I never thought they'd be so upset about us. I mean, Ron, sure. I thought he'd punch me for sure, but he didn't, so I figured that would be the worst of it. Then they were all so upset."

"I think that had a lot more to do with Fred than it ever had to do with you."

"They tossed me out, Gin. And it wasn't some rash decision they regretted immediately. They never invited me back. They didn't even apologise, not that they have to. I was a freeloader, but still. I don't think you can blame that on grief."

Ginny took a steadying breath. "I don't want the decision to date me to ever come down to my family's approval. _I'm_ the one you'd be dating. _My_ opinion is the only one that should matter besides your own. They will have to come to terms with our choices if we want to be together. If you can't accept that, I think we shouldn't start this."

Harry nodded. "I think I already lost them anyway."

"Don't judge anyone on how they acted this year. It hasn't been kind to many."

Harry shrugged. "I know there isn't a point in starting back up a few days before you go back to school, but if you want me to wait for you I will."

"Merlin, Harry. We broke up over a year and a half ago! Please don't tell me you've been waiting for me." Ginny's eyes blazed. He loved it when they did that.

"Well, to be fair, I had a lot going on most of that time. Not a lot of dating opportunities, in general."

"That's not the point!"

"I don't know, Ginny. It hasn't been a priority. And I didn't know where we stood. I never would have ended things between us if I didn't have to go after the horcruxes. I don't think I've ever been as happy as I was with you. It feels like things are, I don't know... unfinished between us."

Ginny's lips were pulled into a thin line and she was staring at a point over his shoulder. "I get what you're saying, Harry. I think it would be easy to fall back where we were, but... everything is going to keep changing. I'll be finished with school in the spring, hopefully on my way to a wildly successful quidditch career, and you'll be doting on Teddy with some boring Ministry desk job, probably-"

"Hey, now!"

"What! You don't know what you want to do. I'm just basing this on statistics."

"Right. Statistics."

She sighed. "I don't think you should wait for me. Not because I don't want you, but... I don't think I want anything serious right now. I want my freedom to move where I want and make a life for myself that I can be proud of. I'm not sure I can do that if I'm not on my own."

Harry nodded, swallowing thickly. "Will we still be friends if I did date someone else?"

"I should hope so," she said, then turned serious again at the expression on his face. She put her hands on his shoulders, turning him to make eye contact. "Harry Potter. I promise I'll be on my best behaviour, and I'll only be a raging bitch if the person you date is completely unworthy of you."

He huffed a laugh. "Deal. I promise the same, but I'll leave the raging bitch part to your brothers."

"Deal."

Ginny stepped towards him and kissed his cheek. "I don't think I've been so happy either. Thank you, for that." And then she walked into the crowd.

Morag brought him a fresh pint sometime later. He hadn't moved from the spot even though he had finished his beer and he was thirsting for fresh air. "You don't look like you're having much fun, Harry."

He smiled weakly. "Well, you only just got here, so...."

She smile brightly. "My, my, that almost sounded like a flirtatious comment. Our Mr. Potter has never intentionally flirted with anyone, so I can only assume you are an imposter."

Harry gasped dramatically and pointed to himself. " _Me? Never."_

She giggled and sipped her drink.

"Do you want to go outside with me?" he asked, suddenly. "I could use some air."

"Can you promise we won't find your besties in a compromising position? Because there was once a bet on how many freckles Ron would have on his arse, and I don't want to be the one to report back with the findings."

Harry choked on his beer, coughing just in front of the tent entrance. She patted his back with a firm hand. "Where the hell did that come from?"

She shrugged. "We have long winters in Scotland. What else are we going to talk about?" Harry stared at her incredulously. "Oh come on! You're going to tell me you and your dorm mates never ranked the hotness of the girls in our year?"

"There's ranking hotness and then there's betting on ass freckles, Morag. Those are separate circles of a Venn diagram and I'm not sure they overlap."

"You're telling me you didn't place bets on whether Pansy Parkinson's right boob would fill in to match the left?"

_"NO!"_

"What about Susan's gap tooth? Or Wayne's rat tail? Or Seamus getting arrested for arson?"

"No!" Harry laughed. "We didn't bet on anything like that. Wait, is there really something wrong with Pansy's boobs?"

"Yeah, Harry, the left is a whole other cup size! It's super obvious."

"Oh. I guess I never got passed the pug face to notice."

Morag laughed again as they got to the water's edge. "She does have a pug face, doesn't she? I never would have described it like that. Mandy will get a kick out of that."

"Last time I checked - which I wasn't _checking,_ checking, it was incidental checking - there were no ass freckles. It's just bright and pale as the moon." Harry said, pointing to the nearly full moon above, peaking through the clouds.

"Oh," Morag said, disappointed. "I'd have lost a liquorice wand."

"The horror. At least it wasn't a chocolate frog."

"Don't tell me frogs are your favourite."

"What's wrong with frogs?"

"Nothing, I guess. At least it's not sugar quills. That's boring."

Harry laughed fondly. "That's Hermione's favourite."

"But her parents are dentists, right?" Morag asked. When Harry nodded she continued. "She's young. There's still time to convert her. The older she gets the less her parents will be goading her about sweets. I'll judge her by her choices in five years. It's only fair, then." She settled herself into the sand, handing her drink to Harry as she pulled her cardigan closer to her body. "Do you think the fireworks will start soon?"

"Should be. It's only," he checked his watch, "ten to midnight."

"Want to stay and watch with me here? Promise I won't be offended if you don't snog me senseless."

"Well, I don't remember the last time, so...."

"Be careful what you wish for, Potter."


	2. January 1999 to October 2006

Harry rather enjoyed dating Morag. So much so, in fact, that they dated for two and a half years before they parted. He didn't realise how good he had it that she never accused him of cheating when he had to work late chasing down leads or file incident reports. Morag never sought the spotlight of the press, and never spoke ill of him even after they split. He missed her friendship even if he knew they weren't meant to last. She didn't want to have kids. She didn't particularly like quidditch. She didn't want Teddy to stay over with them if Harry moved into her flat. She was perfectly affectionate with the toddler whenever they were together, but it was all an act and she wasn't shy about admitting it.

_"Aunt Minerva has lived a perfectly fulfilled life without children and she is one of the most respected witches in the country! Don't tell me that I might change my mind, Harry, I know what I want. I'm never going to wake up and regret not having children. I'm positive I would regret letting someone talk me into having kids I know I don't want! So stop trying to bloody force it on me! Teddy is great, but he doesn't need me in his life."_

Despite the obvious doom their relationship was facing, it had still been a long road to accept it was over. They were still young, they didn't need to be thinking of the far future if they were happy now, right? They could keep avoiding the topics that threatened to carve a canyon between them as they built up their independence in adult life, right? Not every relationship was destined for marriage, but that didn't mean they couldn't benefit from each other's company, right? They didn't have to be alone, right?

It might have gone on longer if it weren't for the media. Harry blamed her friend Mandy. He knew it was Mandy because her parents had cut her off and she needed the money to keep herself in the too-expensive-for-her-income Diagon Alley flat. She didn't want to get a weekend job or give up partying and takeaway, so she sold out her friend to the _Prophet_ and _Witch Weekly_ regularly. The pair suddenly couldn't go anywhere without their photographs being taken. Private details of their relationship were exaggerated and written up in gossip columns. Then the increasingly nasty articles would be published, wondering what Morag must be doing since Harry Potter was _clearly_ out of her league. He had come to regret ever thinking her plain, especially during their last fight, but how could he have kept thinking that when the woman was pure gold on the inside? It didn't matter to anyone that Harry loved her. He wished he had been better about expressing it, but in hindsight, it would have only prolonged the inevitable.

_"Don't pander to me, Harry. I know I have a temper and I can't cook or keep a home. I'm not girly or beautiful. I know my flaws, so don't lie to me!"_

_"I'm not lying! Why would you believe those rags over me? I want to be with you. All that stuff is complete rubbish! I think you are so much more than your looks. It's insulting that they harp on it so much. You're brilliant!"_

_"I notice you didn't say I was fit."_

_"What? Of course I think you're fit. Why would you think I don't think that?"_

_"I'm never going to be the sort of person that piles on a metric tonne of cosmetics to make myself more acceptable to the masses."_

_"I have never asked you to! I wouldn't want you to! I know that isn't who you are. Why are we fighting about this?"_

_"BECAUSE I CAN'T TAKE THIS ANYMORE! I CAN'T GO ANYWHERE WITHOUT PEOPLE WATCHING OR MAKING SNIDE COMMENTS! MY OWN MOTHER SENT ME A MAKEUP KIT! MY NAN MAILS ME DIETING TIPS! I'VE GOT PEOPLE REPORTING ME TO THE MINISTRY FOR DOSING YOU WITH LOVE POTION! NEARLY EVERY BLOKE I MEET WHEN YOU AREN'T AROUND PROPOSITIONS ME BECAUSE I MUST BE A GOOD SHAG IF HARRY BLOODY POTTER COULD PUT UP WITH ME FOR THIS LONG. I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE, IT'S MAKING ME MENTAL!"_

At least Mandy kept her flat a measly three extra months for all the damage she caused.

Harry did come out of the relationship with a better appreciation of whisky. Morag's family owned the Donglewood Distillery outside of Cairndow and offered a superior whisky experience to Ogden's, which was for the alkies and the uncouth.

Even five years later he gave bottles of Donglewood 15 year as his standard gift, 20 year for those he liked in particular, and 35 year for himself and his closest friends. Whenever he saw a new whisky, he found himself swirling the tumbler, commenting on the smoky nodes, wondering if they used oak barrels or experimented with another wood, discussing the evolution of flavours when one toasts the cask versus charring, comparing the qualities of muggle versus magical distilling. His friends knew not to mention peat in his presence. He could chat at length on the subject, much like Percy and cauldron bottoms. If he wasn't talking about Teddy or quidditch or work, he was probably talking about whisky. Particularly Scotch whisky, which was the best.

Harry did eventually move out of Andy's house, but not because of a lady friend as Hermione had once predicted. Andy found herself a man friend and once he and his thirteen-year-old daughter moved into her home, there wasn't much room for Harry. Andy had kept the Lupin cottage to use as a safe house in case they were ever targeted again, but as the years crept on without incident and all but one of the inner circle were dead or behind bars, she had contemplated its fate. Harry made her an offer immediately, insisting on paying market price.

Teddy spent evenings with him including the occasional sleep over at first. Once Andy married her beau, Alan Rickman, they let Harry take Teddy on the same schedule as his daughter, Mina, spent with her mother. The older couple relished the time to be alone, even if Andy would floo call more than necessary, just to see Teddy's face or hear his laugh. Kreacher stayed wherever little master Teddy stayed, and neither Andy nor Harry were inclined to stand in the way of the unlikely friendship.

Harry had waged war against the overgrown garden that first spring. Teddy delighted in playing in the dirt, and together they planted lupine flowers on all sides of the house amongst the original shrubbery that Harry had contained. His choice of flower was a nod to the previous owners, and inspired his floo address, which very few were privy to: Lupine Gardens.

The informal custody arrangement with the Rickmans had forced Harry to re-evaluate how much time he spent at work. After Morag ended things, Harry had thrown himself into auror life head first. The media frenzy of their split - and Mandy _fucking_ Brocklehurst - made him so angry the only acceptable outlet was through work (and eventually his garden).

He had rejoined the VAC in January 1999, after he was cleared by his healer for all physical and magical activities after the Death Eater attack. Ron had joined him that time, needing a distraction while Hermione was at Hogwarts. They were both paired with Auror team leads and they both turned heads with their enthusiasm, instincts, and quick reflexes. They were both part of the team that tracked down Mulciber and Selwyn. Ron had made a break in the case, noticing a pattern in the spike of magical activity in central Wales. Harry had convinced Auror Savage to look into it when Ron's lead, the now forcibly retired Auror Dawlish, refused. When initial scouting showed Ron's hunch was right, Dawlish had forced his way back in and it became a joint effort between their teams.

Harry and Ron drummed up other leads that lead to high-profile arrests, and within six months they were approached about becoming aurors. They had been confused because both believed the VAC was a post-war auror training program. It wasn't. But both had managed the NEWTs required, and since they'd been successful in the VAC, they and a few other VACs were given the opportunity to test out of the first year of the auror training program. Another six months was spent training in addition to their VAC shifts, and they were allowed to test out of the second year of training since they were so familiar with auror protocol and wizarding law at that point in time. In the years after, as crime rates dropped and shifted away from the war, Harry, Ron, and other aurors from their training class were sent to international training seminars for topics like criminal psychology to fill in gaps in their knowledge. By Teddy's second birthday they had been assigned a supervisor and were officially trainees. Savage had requested Harry train under her, which he had no complaints against. Ron was paired with Auror Proudfoot and they worked well together.

The VAC program was dismantled as 2000 came to a close. Participation had dwindled, the auror department was nearly fully staffed again, and the war fugitive list was fewer than ten names (all of whom were assumed to be hiding abroad or dead by vigilante justice). George was one of the VACs that worked through to the bitter end. Percy had done his best to help George find new purpose and healthier vices, with which he largely had succeeded, but without the VAC George spent his nights drinking an increasing amount of whisky. _Ogden's. Scoff._ Percy had moved out of the Diagon Alley flat after knocking up his girlfriend, Audrey. George claimed that was his influence rubbing off on the straight-laced brother. Angelina and Lee were the ones to step in to help George then. It wasn't a huge shock to anyone when, two years later, Angelina was up the duff. Unlike Percy and Audrey, who rushed to wed before the bump was visible, Ang and George were content to live a modern life in sin. George took to fathering like water to Weasley's Wet-Start Fireworks. They welcomed their little girl Roxie not even one year after Freddie was born.

Ron and Hermione were the golden couple in the eyes of the _Prophet._ They hadn't had so much as a hiccup in the nearly eight years they had been together. Ron was thriving with the aurors and Hermione immediately made strides in the Ministry once she had qualified as a lawyer. Ron had proposed on holiday the week after she graduated from the Oxford University of Magical Law, and now that she had helped draft and pass laws protecting the basic welfare of creatures like house-elves and werewolves, they were finally ready to tie the knot, hop the broom, take the plunge, get spliced, _espouse._

They enlisted Harry in the planning, for some unknown reason. For all that he was their best man, he wasn't credited for being terribly romantic or tactful. They could have at least asked someone who had gotten married, which was most of their friends and family at this point. Apart from Ginny, of course, but she was the other one enlisted in wedding planning - to her chagrin - as the maid of honour. She was thriving in the quidditch world. She was star chaser for the Holyhead Harpies and assistant captain now that Gwenog Jones had retired. She had been scouted for the English National team and came off the bench in two games of the 2002 Quidditch World Cup before they were eliminated, and was declared a rising star after the 2004 Euro Cup when the team took home their first title win since 1968. Ron and Hermione were deliberately planning a fall wedding to accommodate the 2006 Quidditch World Cup training and match schedules, assuming Ginny would lead the team well into the knock-out stages of the tournament.

Harry would be lying through his teeth if he didn't admit to harbouring a crush on the youngest Weasley. She was still the person he'd been happiest with while dating. Morag had been lovely and he still missed her friendship, but she didn't hold a candle to Ginny. He had dated enough to know by first look if a woman was going to cause him trouble with the media. There were real celebrities in the wizarding world that drew attention, so as long as Harry kept his head down he was generally too boring to interest the masses. He had also dated enough to know that Hermione was terrible at setting him up. For all that she was perceptive and rational, she had set him up with fan girl after fan girl. The only exception was the time she tried to set him up with Cho Chang.

_"Oh, come off it, Harry! It's been ages since you two dated, if you can even call it that. You have things in common, she's been really friendly with me on campus, and I know she still has a thing for you. She's smart, she likes quidditch and she's quite fit. What's not to like?"_

_"What's not to like? Hermione, I'm still upset she defended her friend after she sold us out to Umbridge and that was seven years ago! Even I know that's not a great foot to start a relationship on. She's still friends with Marietta Edgecombe, and maybe you forgot that her Death Eater uncle tried to abduct and murder Andy and Teddy and then he helped torture me, but I certainly didn't. Oh, and then there's the fact that her mother is still serving her probation with the Muggleborn Restitution Council for her crimes during the war. Please tell me you can cancel this!"_

_"Are you going to hold her accountable for other people's crimes? That isn't fair."_

_"I don't care, Hermione. I'm not going. What were you thinking even suggesting it?!"_

_"Harry!"_

_"No. You aren't allowed to set me up ever again. You're benched. Privileges revoked, effective immediately."_

_"Fine. But I'm not changing your nappy when you're alone and senile."_

_"I have Teddy for that, anyway!"_

The only person who was allowed to set him up on dates was Obafemi's wife, Efani. Harry had been invited to his former VAC teammates' birthday every year since March 1999. He had brought Morag with him the first three years, but when Efani invited him when he was single in 2002 she had insisted he find a date.

_"Dis is not a party for bachelors, 'arry! If you bring dis friend 'Ron' I will introduce 'im to all as your boyfriend. I will not judge your choices in dates, but you_ will _have one!" she said, with her stern, expectant glare. When he had protested that he didn't know anyone she had stepped in. "Fine! Der will be a lovely woman waiting for you. Do not be late!"_

The only relationships that had lasted longer than two or three dates had so far been set up by Efani. First had been Malin, a gorgeous blonde, Norwegian woman three years his senior who was living in London for a research fellowship with St. Mungo's. She was decidedly out of his league, both in looks and intelligence, but that didn't matter to her. She had found herself hard-pressed for friends outside of work, and Harry's schedule fit well with her own. She didn't mind when Teddy tagged along for their dates, and she appreciated a quiet night in with Harry cooking in his small kitchen. She was the only girlfriend he had trusted enough to invite to Lupine Gardens. They had been happy for over a year when her fellowship came to an end and she decided to return home to Norway. They had never tried to convince themselves they were in love, but that didn't stop them from enjoying each other's company. Even after they had ended things they continued to met up for holidays together in Spain, The Netherlands, and Norway. Harry even spent Christmas with her family once and learned to cross country ski. He had managed not to come in last place in the annual family race, but he only finished ahead of those under fourteen, and that was nothing to brag about. At least he could numb the pain of loss with Donglewood 35. She had made a gorgeous bride to a very lucky man the Spring of 2006.

Laura had been his girlfriend for a few months in 2004, and Harry was the one to end that. She couldn't handle the stress of his job. They started dating just four months before the second, and only other time he was hospitalised with a work place injury. (The first being an unfortunately hilarious dosing of a hallucinatory potion. The illegal potion dealer had thrown a small cauldron at him before running away. Savage quickly took him down before it could even be considered a chase. Though Harry had vanished the potion immediately, some had absorbed through his skin and hours later when he was filing the incident report, he believed his skin was glowing a beautiful shade of turquoise that attracted winged, luminescent pygmy puffs and he just _had_ to show Ron, who was in the main room with all the other aurors. And to show Ron properly, he had to strip down. There were photos taken 'for the case' before Harry was wrapped in a scratchy blanket and taken to St. Mungo's to detox.) The only time he had _really_ been injured on the job, he and Savage had been tracking a group of wizards who were trafficking young muggle boys and girls for purchase by dark creatures across the continent. Harry and Savage had been outnumbered, but Harry held off the wizards while Savage set up portkeys for the children. He had taken several curses in the minutes before Ron and Proudfoot arrived as backup. They arrested all the traffickers before Harry's discomfort mounted enough that he, himself, asked Savage to set up a portkey to take him to St. Mungo's. He only spent one night in the Spell Damage ward and returned to work the next day to file his report. It really hadn't been that bad, but Laura was traumatised by the experience of receiving a floo call from the hospital. Every time he was late to dinner or had to leave in the middle of the night for an emergency call out, she was a mess of nerves. He wasn't about to give up his work and he didn't want to torment her, so he ended things before either could get more emotionally involved.

Efani had set him up for each of her husband's birthdays and various Ministry functions over the years, but he hadn't dated anyone beyond those nights in nearly two years. He hadn't snogged anyone in over two years. He hadn't had sex since Laura. His relationships took time away from Teddy and the hassle of getting to know people just didn't seem worth it. He was the youngest person to be promoted to Senior Auror since Moody. He was making a life for himself that he could be proud of, just like Ginny said they should. Anytime he had outside of work he spent with Teddy. He was happy.

Once the mini-metamorph showed some control over his abilities, Harry and Andy agreed to enrol him in a muggle primary school. Ted Tonks had always regretted that his daughter was raised so removed from the muggle world, but the first war was raging during Tonks' childhood and it simply wasn't safe considering Bellatrix was hell-bent on eliminating her blood-traitor sister and her family. Ted would have wanted his grandson to live a different life. Harry worked long hours on the days Teddy spent with his Gran so he could work shorter days when he had Teddy, making sure to pick him up from school on time. He had taken on responsibility for Teddy's muggle culture education, so they went to the cinema, football games, carnivals, arcades, muggle parks, and shopping centres. They went ice skating and bowling and took ferry rides and drove around in a car. They did wizarding things together, too, like quidditch games and the odd father-son gobstones tournaments. They spent nice days on the playground Harry had built in the back garden, and sometimes conjured and animated Pokémon for them to catch, or he pushed Teddy on the swing hanging from the giant oak tree. He taught Teddy to fly on a child's broomstick in the field surrounded on all sides by tall hedgerows Harry had planted and tended with quidditch in mind. Teddy didn't have the hand-eye coordination for any of the positions in particular, but he still enjoyed flying and tossing a quaffle around, clad head-to-toe in Harpies gear each time. Harry read every book that Teddy was assigned for class, and he tried to keep up with the kid's favourite novels outside of class.

Teddy was as rambunctious, enthusiastic, and outgoing as Tonks, but as sensitive, intelligent, and unfailingly kind as Remus. He couldn't stand injustice, which had resulted in more than one call in to the head teacher's office when he was caught fighting against bullies in the classroom or on the playground. He was the centre of Harry's world. The source of his optimism. The person he loved most.

Andromeda, Alan, and Teddy were his family. Alan treated him like a step son, just like Andy did. Harry was even a weird sort of stepbrother to Mina. He was there for family dinners, he spent his holidays with them, he dropped everything when they needed him, and they were the first he turned to when he needed advice or comfort. They were all he needed.

But with Ron and Hermione's wedding approaching, the focus on Harry's dating life had returned from all sides - his friends, the Rickmans, the Weasleys, his coworkers, the media, even Teddy, the little traitor. If Kreacher hadn't passed away a few months before, even he would have been asking 'when poor, lonely master is going to find a mistress.'

Hermione had given him such a scathing look when he said he didn't need a plus one, but Efani had refused to set him up again if he wasn't going to take it seriously since he was 'wasting her efforts, not even trying. Making her look bad.'

"Please don't give me that look, 'Mione," Harry pleaded. "Can't I just enjoy your wedding day without having to entertain some woman we both know won't be around in a month?"

"That is a terrible attitude to have! It's never going to work out if you keep thinking like that!"

Harry rolled his eyes. "I'll get to it when Teddy's older. Maybe in a few more years when he's at Hogwarts. It's just a waste of everyone's time right now. Please don't press me on this."

She glared at him as the floo rushed in the next room. "This isn't over."

Ginny sidled into the room, tossed an envelope on the coffee table and flopped dramatically onto the settee. "Neville says he can match that shade of orchid, no problem. And Hannah can give you a discount on the kegs, but it'll limit your options if you're picky. Her bartenders, Nate and Cynthia, are willing to work that night. The contract is right there with their wages and details about the deposit. The deposit includes costs for her to file an alcohol permit for the event with the Ministry, so take that off your to-do list. She says if you order spirits by the case, she'll give you the direct price she pays without markup."

Harry sat up straighter, "are you going to order Donglewood or Ogden's?"

Ginny snorted, "Merlin, Potter, keep it in your pants, yeah?"

"What? It's the best quality for the price."

"What does quality matter when we're all just there to get schnockered?" Ginny retorted.

"Why can't you show that sort of enthusiasm for finding a partner?" Hermione asked, exasperated then brightened. "You could ask Morag to be your date!"

Harry turned violently in his seat to face her. "First Cho, now Morag? Why do you want me to revisit failed relationships, Hermione? We don't talk anymore. She doesn't even return a wave in a crowded street for fear she'll be lambasted in a gossip mag. No. Absolutely not. No."

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. I didn't think it through." Hermione put her hands up to placate him. "I just don't want you to be lonely. Ron and I will have to make the rounds, so we may not have much time to spend with you."

Harry rolled his eyes again. "There will be plenty of people there I can talk with, not least of which Teddy, Andy, and Alan. I think I'll manage."

"What's this about?" Ginny asked, through a mouthful of biscuit.

"Harry doesn't want a plus one," Hermione said, as if personally offended.

"I don't have a date yet. Wanna go with me?" she asked, laid across the settee on her stomach, lazily picking through the platter on the coffee table for another chocolate digestive.

"Are you serious?" Harry asked, voice filled with hope.

"Yeah, 'course," Ginny replied with an easy shrug.

"Yes! That's brilliant!"

"NO!" Hermione cried. "You can't go with each other!"

"Why not?" they asked in unison.

"You're supposed to try to find true love, not be each other's dates out of convenience!"

"It's going to fuck up the seating chart, isn't it?" Ginny asked, knowingly.

Hermione growled in frustration and let her head fall on the stack of parchments on the table. "Yesssss! Who can I move up to the head table without offending everyone else? This is impossible!"

Ginny chuckled on her stomach. "Professor McGonagall's accustom to sitting at the head table. I'd kill to see you tell her she has to find a plus one. Oooo! Make her and Kingsley sit together! Show off how important you are that the Headmistress and Minister both came to your wedding! No one will have the cobblers to give you shit about anything if that happens."

Hermione picked her head up, brow furrowed. "That could work," she muttered. "They've already RSVP'd. Did Kingsley check plus one? I can't remember." She rummaged through a box on the chair next to her for the guest list notes.

"I'd ask you what you're planning to wear, but Hermione's already made sure we'll be matching, so... problem solved." Ginny winked at Harry across the room and he grinned back. Problem solved, indeed.

\--**--**--**--

"GO, GINNY, GO!" Teddy cried, sitting on Harry's shoulders from their spot in a family box. It was the semi-final of the Quidditch World Cup and England was battling Uruguay. The fouls were mounting as the match dragged on. England was staying just far enough ahead of Uruguay that if the snitch was caught by either team, England would win. Ginny was having a banner run and had been the target of several coordinated assaults, but she dodged the bludgers and bodies like she was a trickster hummingbird setting _them_ up and smirking wickedly as they failed.

The English seeker was not the best in the world, or in this match, or even on that team. The starting seeker was recovering from a nasty concussion after being knocked off his broom in the last match. Apparently, you can develop a certain amount of immunity to potions if you take them too frequently. Sheridan has had a lot of head injuries in his career, so he wouldn't be available until the final, if they made it through.

Ginny was the star of the match. Stealing the quaffle, screening the opposing chasers, recovering rebounds, putting the quaffle through the hoops time after time after time. She led the club league for steals and goals, and was top five amongst current chasers for assists. England hadn't made it to a final in sixty years, and if they did it would be because of Ginny's brilliant performance.

The Weasley's were all there screaming themselves hoarse in the box with him, along with the Rickmans, Delacours, and Johnsons. Molly and Arthur and Bill's family were the only ones that managed to be at the World Cup the whole time starting with the group stage matches. Everyone else had spent the extra money to portkey in for specific matches as their work schedules allowed. The semi-final match was the only one the whole clan had made it out for together.

"Ramsey makes another save! Silva is going to wish she had that one back! And it's Weasley, Horner, Oof! Great bludger by Ruiz. Silva, Flores, and, oh! - Akinfenwa with the steal to Horner, Weasley - she beats the keeper and SCORES!"

The match continued, the divide in the score line increasing in favour of England as time progressed. Harry had spotted the snitch no less than twelve times, and he knew Lodeiro had seen it at least eight of those times and redirected Erickson successfully.

Harry found himself hoping Lodeiro would have mercy on the crowd and catch the snitch with dignity, but now that England was up more than four hundred points over Uruguay, there was no dignity to save. Erickson just needed to get his head out of his-

"And they've seen the snitch! Erickson with the advantage, but Lodeiro closing quickly. And ouch! That was a perfectly placed bludger by Whitman, will it be enough for England? And YES! ERICKSON HAS THE SNITCH! ENGLAND WINS! THEY ARE GOING TO THE FINAL FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SIXTY-FOUR YEARS!"

\--**--**--**--

_It's a madhouse here. I'll be late. Open the floo by 7?_

_-Ginny_

_\--**--**--**--_

_Bring Curry._

_-H_

\--**--**--**--

"Well if it isn't the Golden Shoulder winner, MVP extraordinaire! And in my kitchen, no less!" Harry cried, holding a hand to his chest in mock shock before bowing deeply. Ginny swatted him and put the bag of takeaway on the counter.

"Hush, you. We didn't even win the final for all that effort."

"Yeah, only 'cause your seeker is complete shit," Harry said.

Ginny didn't protest. "They should have selected Margot Pilatzki, but there was talk about too many women on the team." She rolled her eyes, stirring her dish. "They thought it would look like a political stunt having all women in the starting line up. Don't know why they had to choose seeker to make a stand. The best seekers in the club league are internationals apart from Margot."

"Hopefully they'll have learned their lesson going forward. You'll still be showcased in the Victory Tour, yeah?"

She nodded, blowing on a spoonful of steaming curry. "Yeah, we'll get a rematch against Japan at the end of October sometime." She plopped the spoonful in her mouth, then her eyes bulged wide and started watering. "Too hot, too hot, too hot!" She fanned her open mouth, tongue cradling the rice and golden yellow sauce, trying to cool it down enough to chew.

"Too bad it isn't early October. Then you might have an excuse to ditch the wedding," Harry grumbled, handing her a glass of water without commenting on her spectacle.

"Something happen? I thought you were excited about the wedding? I mean, it's been an eight year wait to an obvious end," Ginny asked after calming the fire.

Harry shrugged. "It's just a bit much, don't you think? We know they love each other, why do they have to have so many people witness it? It's turning into a circus."

Ginny nodded, thoughtfully. "Ron thinks Hermione's letting politics get the better of her."

"What?"

"Mmhmm," Ginny said. "The people she works with are guilting her six ways to Sunday. She's usually really good at shutting that stuff down at work, but for some reason she can't say no for this. They've finally locked down the guest list. No one else is allowed in, so you're stuck with me as your date."

Harry grinned. "Thank Merlin for that. I can't stand the thought of being set up again right now. It's exhausting."

"I know what you mean," Ginny said, knowingly. "I haven't had a proper date since the official World Cup match schedule was released. All these blokes wanting a hook-up for good seats."

Harry snorted. "Something tells me it wasn't just about seats."

"Well, there's that, too." She pulled a piece of naan from the foil and swept it through her meal. "The point is I haven't had a proper date in ages. It's actually been a bit refreshing, just focusing on quidditch. Men are the worst sometimes."

"God, we sound jaded."

"I prefer to think we're focused on the important things in life."

The sound of the cat flap jangling open called their attention to the back door. Ginny leapt up off her stool. "Kazuma! My little angel! Have you missed mummy?"

_"Murrrrrow!"_

"Oh, did the mean man give you canned tuna instead of cooking it fresh like I asked him to?"

_"Murrah-ooooowww! Mah!"_

"You ate your weight in voles? Oh, you clever, clever boy!"

_"Mah-ah, AH!"_

"He called you Kazoo this whole time!" A scandalised Ginny turned to Harry holding her hulking Russian blue cat in her arms, stroking it's ears to the sound of hearty purrs. _"Bastard!_ "

"You can't tell me you didn't pick the name because he sounds like a kazoo, because he does!" Harry cried.

She covered the cat's ears and whispered, "would you insult Teddy's voice to his face? He can't help what he sounds like. Bully!"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Find someone else to watch him then!"

"No! He likes it here, no thanks to you." Ginny said, letting Kazuma rub his face on her chin affectionately.

"We both know he's only here because Crookshanks is too territorial, all the Weasley kids pull his tail, and the Zooster is afraid of the gnomes at the Burrow."

"You have no idea how vicious those gnomes can be! And why do you insist on using ridiculous nicknames? You are the only person I know that can't just use someone's proper name. It's always Kazoo or Zooster or Kaz or Kazazzle. You do it with Teddy, too! Tedster, Tedrick, Teddy bug. It's disgusting."

"Oh, you mean Edward, Ginevra?" Harry asked, wryly.

Her brow furrowed. "I forgot about that."

"You forgot my son's name?" Harry said, appalled, then scoffed. "Who's the asshole now, eh?"

Harry popped open the top to a can of tuna cat food and Kazuma scrambled out of Ginny's arms with a hearty thunk as he dropped to the floor. He noisily wound between Harry's legs then kneaded his front paws in the fabric of his trousers just above the knee as he waited impatiently for Harry to finish scooping his dinner onto a small plate. Harry smirked at the expression on Ginny's face, wondering if she'd start in on the old argument.

” _I'm not cooking for a cat, Gin, no matter how sensitive you think his stomach is."_

_"I'll pay for the supplies!"_

_"Pay for a chef to make the meals and deliver, then! Or, better yet, just let me buy cat food because he's a fucking cat."_

"I hope he get the runs on your pillow tonight," she said, bitterly, taking her seat at the kitchen island again.

"He won't. I lock him out of my room."

Ginny gasped, horrified. "Harry Potter!"

"What?"

"You've been neglecting my poor Kazuma this whole time?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "I assure you the only thing I'm depriving him of is the chance to smother me in my sleep. How can you stand him sleeping across your neck like that anyway?"

Ginny looked taken aback. "He doesn't. He sleeps up against my fanny. Like a furry grey chastity belt."

"If your cat thinks my neck feels like your fanny, he's doing the world a favour, then."

Ginny flicked a spoonful of curry at him, but couldn't help cracking up with him. "You take that back! My fanny is a gift!" She flicked spoonful after spoonful at him as he dodged on the other side of the kitchen island. "A treasure, even!"

"Careful! Hermione will go spare if we stain the wedding favours!"

"AAAAAARRRRGGGHH!" Ginny yelled in a battle cry as she chased him to the sitting room and tackled him to the floor. "Apologise! My fanny's honour will be avenged!"

Harry couldn't respond for the force of his laughter. Ginny had straddled him and was tickling the one spot she had found was sensitive over nine years ago. He bucked his hips to put her off balance and rolled them over, grabbing her forearms and pinning her down. Her hair fanned out, glowing in the firelight against the muted, sitting room area rug. They were both smiling brightly as they caught their breath. Harry was nestled between her thighs and her legs were hooked loosely around his hips. Ginny licked her lips as she stared at Harry, almost daring him to kiss her in the charged moment.

"Harry?"

Ginny and Harry jumped cricking their necks in their haste to turn to the fireplace. Teddy's head was floating in the grate surrounded by green flames. "Hey, bug! What's up?" Harry scrambled to straighten himself and crawled over Ginny to kneel in front of the fire.

"What are you doing?" Teddy asked, confused eyes flickering between Harry and Ginny.

"What? Oh, Ginny and I were just wrestling for fun. She's visiting the Zoomeister and accused me of neglecting him."

"You said fighting was bad!"

"We weren't fighting, Tedward. Neither one of us is angry and we weren't trying to hurt each other, so it isn't fighting.”

"Oh."

Ginny had gotten to her feet and returned to the kitchen. Harry could see her in his peripheral cleaning up the mess of curry with a wave of her wand and sitting back down to finish her meal. Kazuma jumped onto the stool next to her, his plate already empty. _Fat, spoiled sod._

"Were you just calling to chat or did you need something, Teddy bug?"

"Gran said I should ask you about my homework."

"Sure thing! Why don't you grab your bag and step through."

"Okay!"

The blue-haired boy disappeared from the flames and Harry stood, knees popping, and waited for the boy to step out just in case he stumbled. "Teddy's coming through, Gin."

"Yeah, I heard," she said. "Do you want me to leave? We can work on the favours tomorrow instead? Or this weekend?"

"No, no. You can stay. Teddy's homework doesn't usually take too long, and he still goes to bed pretty early, so he'll have to leave soon, either way."

The floo flashed green and Teddy stepped out. Harry vanished the soot automatically and pulled him in for a warm hug. Teddy hugged Ginny next, suddenly shy to be in the presence of the quidditch star.

"Oh, don't you go treating me different, too, Teddy! I've changed your nappies!" Ginny admonished.

"Eww! Really?" Teddy cried.

"Mmhmm. Why is that surprising? I've always been around."

"I guess," Teddy hedged.

"What do you mean, 'I guess?' Have I been taking someone _else_ out for ice cream after every Harpy game?"

Teddy giggled. "No."

Ginny ruffled his hair. "That's what I thought. You had me worried there. What's your homework about?" she asked, as Harry cleared the boxes of assembled and unassembled wedding favours from the dining room table so they could work.

Teddy groaned. "Fractions."

"Fractions? Your Gran couldn't help with those? She's a potioneer for Pippin's. She used to work at St. Mungo's! And she's a damn good cook. I would have thought she'd be all over fractions," Harry said, incredulous.

Teddy shrugged. "She wasn't doing it like my teacher and it was confusing. She thought you could help."

Harry sighed. "Alright, alright. Bang it on the table."

\--**--**--**--

"Teddy tells me you were wrestling with his hero last night?" Andromeda needled quietly as Alan and Teddy set the table in the dining room for family dinner night.

Harry groaned. "It wasn't like that."

Andy shrugged. "It could be like that." To which Harry glared at her. "What?! It was once, it could be again."

"She's one of my best friends," Harry said, like it would end the conversation.

Andy snorted. "And? Ted was my best friend for twenty-nine years. Alan's been my best friend for almost five. What do you think a spouse is?"

Harry didn't answer, choosing to check the temperature of the roast again instead.

"I'll answer since you're too busy down there," Andy said lightly. "A partner is someone you feel absolutely comfortable with to the point you feel almost wrong when they aren't with you. They are the first person you think of when you have good or bad news, they are someone you don't get tired of being near, they are someone you think understands you better than you understand yourself, they make you feel safe, and wanted, and loved. Just because someone isn't your lover, doesn't mean they aren't fulfilling the role of a partner." She finished with a knowing look. "How is Kazuma?"

Harry smiled, thinking about it. Ginny had come over almost every evening to visit Kazuma since she returned home from the World Cup. She still had press engagements that kept her away, so she wasn't ready to uproot the cat until she could be home permanently. Harry loved their banter as they prepared the wedding favours and argued over Kazoo. They moved around his kitchen completely in sync the nights she ate in with him. He loved the way she'd curl her legs under herself on the sofa with a blanket and a tea cup and tell him all the quips and retorts she held back for every sexist comment from the day's interviews. She'd laugh at his work stories, and she'd prompt him for updates to the ongoing office drama. He loved the lingering squeeze she'd give in her hugs before she floo'd home. He hated the silence that followed.

"Strutting around like he owns the place, as you'd expect. He's been great for the garden; really cracked down on my rodent problem. He's not so keen on being outside with the rain we've had the last few days."

"And is his mum visiting regularly?"

"You already know that she is. And if you don't, Teddy will surely tell you when he's back here on Sunday."

"Well, if you need some time alone, we can always have Teddy come home a night or two early. You wouldn't be putting us out."

"I would never do that! Teddy comes first, you know that," Harry said, indignant.

"You're allowed something for yourself, Harry. Teddy wouldn't hold it against you, especially if it meant you were dating. He keeps owling Mina to see if she has single friends your age."

"You're making that up!" Harry cried, but the mirthful laugh coming from Andy held the truth. "Argh! Why is everyone harping on about this? I'm fine!"

"Doesn't it ever feel like you've put your life on hold?" Andy asked softly after a minute.

Harry's brow furrowed. "No. I mean, what do you mean?"

Andromeda stopped stirring the sauce and faced him. "You stepped into the role of Teddy's dad from the beginning. You were there for me as much as him. I needed time to grieve for my family, which isn't easy to come by when raising a newborn. You were here. You took care of us, and I hope you feel like I took care of you, too. You were taking care of the Weasley's, at the same time. You pushed your own grief down to deal with later so we could fall apart. You loved Ginny Weasley dearly back then. I could tell. But she wasn't ready to love you back with everything going on, which I can understand. But then her family took out all their anger on you and you moved in with me and it just seems like you've been putting everyone and everything before your needs for years. You let your two best friends distance themselves from you so that their relationship could flourish. You stepped up even further with Teddy when you realised I fancied Alan. You moved out so we could make this place home for him and Mina. None of your girlfriends were marriage material. Not one of them. They were nice, don't get me wrong, and they made you happy, but you were never going to make them work long-term and I think you knew that from the beginning. Is that because things between you and Ginny are unfinished?" She shrugged leaving the question open.

"But they are. She told me not to wait for her before I started dating Morag. It's done. It's over. We've moved on. We're just friends. Why should I rehash something that didn't work out?"

"There's a difference between rehashing something that didn't work because of personalities or opinions and rehashing something that didn't work because of timing. You'll notice I've never suggested you try again with Morag or Malin or Laura. Don't get me started on that Quincy girl."

Harry grimaced. That was by far his worst relationship. Two months of whirlwind torment, 40 months of regret and counting. She was the reason for his ban on all receptionists and admin women - they crave the drama, they create the drama, they are sustained by the drama.

He hated the drama.

"Things have never been the same with the Weasleys since that fight. They don't want to see us together and I don't want to come between her and family."

Andromeda set the roast on the cook top to cool with a loud clang before turning to him. "You listen to me, young man. Those Weasleys were horrible for turning you away. They lashed out at you, but I think it had everything to do with losing Fred. If you make their daughter happy, they will welcome you with open arms. And at the time, they were at least a little justified in that their daughter was not of age. I disagree that it would be considered inappropriate, especially with how many people were displaced after the war, but they had the right, even if it wasn't right. But that isn't the case anymore and I don't mean to sound judgemental, but I think if the papers are to be believed in even a small measure, there is no innocence to preserve for either of you. I think they'd welcome the news of you dating, and if they didn't they'd come around to the idea, and if they didn't - you'd be well shot of them in the end."

She took out the carving knife and sharpened it with a charm. "But that is neither here nor there if you don't have feelings for her anymore."

Harry flushed a deep red. His hand rubbed the back of his neck in a shy gesture.

"What if she doesn't feel the same?" he asked, betraying vulnerability. "I don't want to ruin our friendship. Sometimes it feels like I'm closer to her than any of my other friends. Especially with this wedding consuming everything."

"I think that girl goes out of her way to see you. She might need some time to mull it over, but I don't think you'll ruin anything if you're being honest with her."

\--**--**--**--

He couldn't believe it. He literally couldn't believe it. He had snogged _Ginny Weasley_ in his kitchen! And on his sofa! And in front of his fireplace before she floo'd home! He hadn't had the honour since the fifth anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts, but they were both a little drunk and she had started crying after a few minutes, so he ended up just holding her close. Maybe that kiss with Cho had been worth it so he didn't panic in that one moment. They had both agreed it was an isolated incident and never acknowledged it in the three years since. He never thought he'd get the chance again. It was ... _everything._

They had moved on from assembling wedding favours to writing out the place cards for the tables. Hermione had bought a calligraphy quill that wrote in a font she liked, so Harry was dictating the names of all the guests and Ginny charmed them dry, adding a light shimmering charm to the ink, and enchanting the paper with location charms linked to the official seating chart so they would guide the guests to their assigned seat when the time came. They had met over dinner once again and when Ginny had stayed to help clean the kitchen after they carefully put the place cards and seating chart back in one of Hermione's organisers, Harry had found himself lifting Ginny to sit on the counter as they kissed. They paid no mind to the scrubbing and clinking sounds of the dishes in the sink as the charm washed them. Harry nudged Kazuma away gently with his sock-clad foot as he ran his hands along her waist and thighs. Ginny didn't scold him about his treatment of her cat as she held his face close to hers with fingers gripping his messy locks. They finally broke away at the sound of the kettle whirring.

Ginny lifted the kettle off the burner and Harry turned the cooker off, not moving from his place nestled between her thighs. Her chin was slightly red from rubbing against his stubble, and her lips were flushed and slightly swollen. His stupid, giddy grin was reflected on her face as she grabbed the front of his shirt and nudged him forward for a less frantic snog.

Ginny was a few centimetres taller than Harry when she slipped down from the counter. He had gotten used to being the shortest of his friends apart from Hermione and Luna, but a pang of jealous longing flooded him for a moment as he rubbed at a crick in his neck. He should have stood on his tip-toes. Counter snogging was a tall man's game.

Ginny found the tea easily, but moved around the kitchen with slight stumbles here and there as Harry's hands wandered around her waist from behind as she poured the water in their cups, and as his lips kissed the junction of her neck and shoulders when she grabbed the milk from the refrigerator. She pressed her body back firmly against him as she worked, encouraging his attentions further.

She leaned into his side on the sofa after settling the blanket over both their laps as they carried on with their evening chat. Ginny was back to training with the Harpies around her dwindling interview schedule. In two weeks she'd be playing in her first club match since the World Cup roster was finalised and training camp began in May.

"Am I being ridiculous for being nervous about going back to the squad? I mean, Evelyn has had a really good start to the season. I feel weird about taking her spot. She worked so hard while I was away, and now she might not play much the rest of the season."

"That's down to your coach, though, isn't it?" Harry said, idly twisting a strand of her silky hair. "If she doesn't have you start, just consider it a well-earned rest. You're in the best shape of your life. You'll definitely get the start next season and with the national team matches coming up. You're a veteran on the team and you have all this great experience you can share. You're great with teaching Teddy. You could do that with your team - help them perform better whether you're on the pitch or not."

"But I don't want to watch on the sidelines. I want to play! I'm always going to want to be in on the action," Ginny said in a voice nearing a whine.

Harry smirked. "With all the World Cup experience, you've proven you can score under pressure. You're a not-so-secret weapon and the opponent's keeper is going to be shitting themself whenever you take the pitch. That's the sort of power you have. Just focus on that."

"Is that what you think of whenever you're duelling? That your opponent is shitting their pants going up against you?" Ginny asked, quirking her eyebrow, teasing.

Harry huffed, "you give me far too much credit. But, yeah, whenever I'm assigned to help the firsties in training I like to channel a little bit of Moody. Makes me feel like king shit of fuck mountain sometimes, the way they react. But then they actually get into the department and all that skittish, hero worship shit goes away and they hate me for being a demanding hard ass."

"And what an ass it is," Ginny said with a nudge and a wink before she pulled out her wand, banishing both their empty tea cups to the kitchen then tugged him into another kiss.

It was only the threat of her early morning training and the need to get Kazuma back to her place before the sleeping potion he'd been slipped at dinner for the impending floo trip wore off that prompted Ginny to leave. Harry had scooped the snoring furry mass into his carrier, and with a flourish of his wand, the scattered toys flew to the cat bed, which he shrunk and tucked into the carrier.

"I swear I didn't bring him that much stuff," Ginny said, incredulous.

Harry rubbed his neck sheepishly. "I thought he was getting bored, especially with the rain, so I, er, bought him a few more things when I went to get his food the other day."

"You bought _all of this,_ " she said, circling her finger over the snoring carrier, "in _one trip_? Sure, Potter. Sure." She nodded with her face scrunched up sarcastically.

"He missed you in June and they had a catnip lobster, Gin. A lobster. Do you understand how cute it is to see him munching on a little red lobster?" Harry pleaded to her amusement.

"You're something else," she said, kissing him soundly. "I knew you liked him."

"It's the eyes."

Ginny giggled, "yes, I'm well aware of how beguiling green eyes can be."

\--**--**--**--

Kazuma's stay at Ginny's was rather short-lived as his owner found herself spending every night at Lupine Gardens just ten days later. They didn't go shouting about their budding relationship apart from Teddy and the Rickmans. September faded into October and the wedding was finally upon them. The final fittings had occurred, the arrangements had all been confirmed, the guest list and seating chart had its last minute adjustments, and the stag and hen do's had passed without incident the weekend before the wedding. Harry hadn't seen much of Ron outside of work and he'd only seen Hermione long enough to exchange boxes and instructions for last minute wedding prep, usually over their lunch hour. He still felt twinges of sadness when he thought of how close the three of them used to be before it was Ron and Hermione...oh, and their best friend, Harry. He couldn't be happier for his friends, though. They had managed to grow together in a way most young couples couldn't in their transition to adulthood. So much had changed in the last eight years, and yet, here they were. Getting married. Finally.

"What's put that look on your face?" Ron said, handing Harry a bottle of beer as he sat next to him on the sofa in Ron's changing room at Hibernian Manor where the two would be getting married in a few hours.

"Oh, just thinking about our Hogwarts days. The three of us," Harry took a swig of his drink. "Have I said recently how happy I am for you?"

Ron smiled. "Yeah. You have, mate."

They sat in silence and enjoyed the quiet. Harry and Ginny were the only members of the wedding party. They opted not to employ any of Ron's nieces or nephew as flower girls or ring bearers. As cute as they could be, Hermione felt the spectacle had been played out at the previous Weasley weddings, as well as the weddings of their close friends. Victoire and Teddy had served those roles in no less than seven weddings. Teddy was happy to have the day off, but Victoire and Dominique hadn't been so gracious. Mr. Weasley would be in later to help get ready, but the Weasley brothers would largely be spending the morning with their families instead of with Ron.

"Thanks for all your help, you know, getting the wedding together. And before that. Listening to me whinge about Hermione and giving advice. I know it wasn't always easy to make time for us with everything else going on in your life," Ron said. He was rarely the sentimental sort.

"I was happy to do it. Then and, you know, in the future," Harry said, awkwardly.

Ron smiled and clapped Harry on the shoulder. "I wish I could see you as happy."

Harry couldn't help the smile that spread across his face, thinking of Ginny. "I am happy, though."

Ron rolled his eyes. "No, I mean, with a woman."

Harry blushed and didn't look at Ron. "I actually just started seeing someone."

"Wait, really? Who? Do I know her?" Ron asked, suddenly alert and bouncing in his seat with excitement.

"I don't know if I should say yet. It hasn't even been two weeks, officially."

"So? I'm your best mate! You can tell me!" Ron waited eagerly as Harry contemplated whether it was a bad idea for the best man to admit he was now shagging the groom's little sister mere hours before the wedding. But Ron had trusted him when they were sixteen, how different would it be now that they were twenty-six?

"I'm not sure we want people knowing yet while we figure things out."

"Oh, come on. Have a little faith in me, at least. I'm not everyone else."

Harry swallowed and raised his eyes to Ron's. "It's Ginny," he admitted quietly.

Ron looked stunned. Dumbstruck for half a minute before he let out a roar and tackled Harry back onto the sofa. Harry was rolled sideways onto the sofa with Ron's long, muscular arms holding him in a foetal position with a bruising grip and he shook him vigorously, almost jumping on him. "Merlin, Harry! This is so....AAAAARRRRGH!"

"Wait, Ron! I can't tell if you're angry or not," Harry breathed out weakly as Ron tossed him about.

"Are you kidding? This is....! AAAARRRGHHHH! Massive! Absolutely massive!" And then he kissed Harry's head seven times in quick succession. "Same rules as last time. Don't mess her about, yeah?"

Ron let Harry go and Harry could finally see the brilliant smile on his best mate's face. Harry returned it in equal measure. "I wouldn't dream of it, mate."

Ron grabbed Harry's shoulders and shook him back and forth, making his head wobble with the force of it as Ron whooped and hollered. "You realise what this means, right? We could be brothers! For real, like by _marriage_! You'd be a Weasley! Not an honorary Weasley, but an actual, legal Weasley! "

Harry frowned, "Well, don't go getting ahead of yourself, but unless Ginny has some strong opinions on the matter, I'm pretty sure I'll always be a Potter."

Ron punched his arm with a bit more force than necessary. "Oh, you know what I mean. Merlin, Hermione's going to have a litter of kittens when I tell her. She said it wouldn't happen. She was so sure."

"I didn't think it would either," Harry said, honestly.

"You should have heard her rant when you and Ginny decided to be each other's dates for this. Argh! She'll be eating her words! That doesn't happen often. Wait!" Harry jumped at Ron's exclamation. "Were you already dating then?"

Harry shook his head, "no, it's only been two weeks."

Ron nodded, thoughtfully. "What changed?"

Harry shrugged. "Dunno. I mean, we spend a lot of time together. Things have been different since she got back from the World Cup, though. Zumummers had been staying with me since May and Gin would come by for dinner and such just to see him whenever she could sneak away from training. And her and Teddy have a thing, you know, since we go to all the Harpies games together. We usually hang out after, get ice cream or dinner. If it's a late game she comes over in the morning before the game and we make her breakfast." Harry shrugged again. "I don't know what changed. Maybe it was her being gone for so long? We've always kept a sort of... flirty banter with each other, but it just seemed like it meant something different when she got back." Harry chanced another glance at Ron to see his reaction before ducking away from his wide, knowing grin. "I, er, really missed her."

Ron pulled Harry in for another aggressive hug. "I'm rooting for you, Harry. This is, argh, the best news."

"Okay, okay, but promise you'll try to keep it to yourself until Gin's ready to let people know. It didn't exactly go over well the last time, remember?" Harry said, joking even though it came out a bit bitter.

"I will, promise. But don't worry about them," Ron said dismissively. "They'll be right pleased that she's dating you this time. You have no idea the kind of plonkers she's brought around in the last six years or so. I know dad regrets ever standing against you. George, too. All of them, really. They know now how much worse it could be."

"As long as I'm the best of the worst, that's a win, right?" Harry deadpanned.

"That's not what I meant," Ron said, then shrug, "but yeah, basically." Harry chuckled along with Ron.

"They haven't all been that bad," Harry said dismissively. "You forget I've met a fair few of those blokes, too."

"Then you'll know most of them were pretty shit," Ron stated in a tone that brooked no argument. "But really, my family has seen what you've done for Teddy and Andy. They've seen you be the best friend to me and Hermione. You're a good person, dedicated, driven, moral compass pointing north, and all that. They know you treat the people in your life the way they deserve, no matter the effort or inconvenience. We couldn't ask for better for Ginny. I've known that since the beginning."

Harry wiped at his eyes. "Look at you. Making me cry already. It's not fair, I thought I had a few more hours."

Ron laughed. "You're not going to fall apart up there next to me are you?"

Harry nodded with a choked out "'course."

"Well, fuck! If you start, I'm going to get worked up and then that'll set Hermione off and Ginny's gonna look like a massive, insensitive bitch just handing out handkerchiefs to all of us, completely dry-eyed," Ron finished with a sharp sniff.

"Hey, that's my girlfriend you're talking about," Harry defended. "And what makes you think she'll have even thought to bring one handkerchief, let alone three?"

"Remember Luna's wedding?" Ron said.

"Remember Neville's wedding?" Harry countered.

"God, remember Percy's?" And they both dissolved in a fit of giggles as they recounted all the times they could remember Ginny being a total badass with perfectly timed quips.

\--**--**--**--

Ginny looked stunning, walking down the aisle of the Manor's dance hall. Light filtering in through the stained glass windows gave Ginny's pale skin an almost ethereal glow where it was exposed. Her dress robes fell to her toes in a dusky purple colour. The dress robes had a high waistline that accentuated her small, pert breasts, long legs and slender torso. Her shapely, muscular arms were on display through tightly wrapped satin to her elbows. Her hair looked darker in the light, swept to the right in a low, wavy bun beneath her ear. A single orchid blossom adorned her hair. As she walked in time with the music, the natural highlights in her hair gleamed in the changing light. She held a small bouquet of white, purple, and gold flowers that Neville had carefully planted and arranged for this occasion. Ginny smiled brilliantly at Harry when they made eye contact. She had kept her gaze lowered as she walked, willing herself not to trip, because tripping would definitely lead to cursing and cursing would lead to an angry Mrs. Weasley and a playfully exasperated Hermione for years to come. She was wearing heels for the occasion - something she tried to avoid at all costs. She was perfectly capable of walking in them, she was a professional athlete after all, she had the muscles and balance to walk no matter what shoe. They hadn't planned it, or talked about it at all in the rehearsal, but Harry found himself walking down the three steps to Ginny and offering his arm to her. She accepted with a wry grin and an eye roll, but she squeezed his arm affectionately before he found his place next to Ron again.

As the music changed and everyone stood to honour the bride for her procession, Ron leaned in to offer a quick, "whipped already, Harry? You're worse than me."

Harry's face hurt from all the grinning he'd been doing. The skin around his eyes crinkled as he saw his first glimpse of Hermione since he'd ducked in for a quick chat and hug before breakfast. She was wearing makeup, which was the first thing Harry noticed, not because it looked bad or unnatural, but because she never wore it. He'd never seen her eyes look so wide and bright, her face looked slimmer than it had that morning. She was containing her wide, natural, sweet smile behind painted lips set in a demure smile. Her hair was in a simple chignon, embellished with a decorative silver comb. A veil was tucked low in her hair and trailed down her back to her bum. White lace covered her shoulders and arms to her wrists and exposed her chest in a v to a straight line bodice. Lace covered the fabric that fit snug to her waist and gently flared to the floor. The fabric dragged along the floor in a short train. Her bouquet was the larger version of Ginny's. She made her way up the aisle as the music played and the cameras clicked away. Harry heard Ron's breathing change and his throat clear a little wetly and couldn't help but chuckle, even as he sniffed, himself. Hermione looked beautiful. And once she hugged her mother and father and Ron joined her to shake hands with the Grangers, she let her smile brighten the way it always did when Ron was around.

Harry caught a sniffling to his right and looked up to see Ginny wipe away rare tears with a handkerchief while the focus was not on her, at all. Harry wondered if this was the key to her long-held streak of not crying at weddings. Maybe it was just because it was Ron and Hermione. But then he caught the flash of embroidered writing along the edge of the handkerchief that spelled out 'FAKE TEARS' in fine, dusky purple stitching that matched her dress and he had to suppress a bark of laughter. Ginny's eyes gleamed as she quickly tucked the cloth behind her bouquet, then she winked at him.

Harry managed to hold it together until the vows. Everyone laughed as Hermione turned to him tossed her head back in exasperation and hissed, "I told you to bring a handkerchief, Harry!" as he wiped at watery eyes with his fingers. He hissed back in a wet voice, "well, I didn't think I'd need it!" as he reached out to take the 'Fake Tears' handkerchief from Ginny. The four dissolved into a fit of giggles at the private joke since no one else would be able to read the stitching from the rows of chairs below. Once Harry collected himself, they finished the ceremony without further interruptions. Ron and Hermione sealed their promise with a lingering kiss, a display filled with love, then turned for their recessional to the claps and cheers of their family, friends, coworkers, and Hermione's political allies and a few rivals. Harry and Ginny trailed behind, walking arm-in-arm, trying not to laugh out right in front of the cameras. They failed, in the end, but who wants posed and perfect wedding photos?

Probably Hermione, but she always comes around in the end.

Teddy waited impatiently with Harry as the pictures were taken after the ceremony while everyone else mingled for the cocktail hour. Ginny requested a formal photo of her and Harry, one of her, Harry and Teddy, and a silly one where Ginny grabbed Teddy's shoulders as Harry picked up his legs and held the little metamorph between them as he giggled, hair askew. Then she backed away insisting Harry and Teddy stand for a more formal photo. Harry wrapped his arms around Teddy, pulling him close, smiles bright, father and son to anyone who didn't know their history.

They finally made their way in for dinner, sharing toasts and making the newlyweds kiss. Harry was nervous for his speech, having never sought the spotlight. He'd given plenty of press briefings for his cases over the years and he spoke to groups of strangers through auror training and interdepartmental meetings, but a speech at your best mate's wedding was so much more personal than that. He didn't want to use his platform to embarrass his friends or lament the struggles in their lives like he'd witnessed at other weddings. He tried to keep it short and sweet, but his friends also earned the emotion and care that fifteen years of friendship and struggle deserved.

Harry stood stiffly, smoothing down his grey dress robes that looked much like a muggle suit and waistcoat other than the full length of the jacket at the sides and back. He wore a dusky purple tie and pocket square to match Ginny. Ron flashed him a smile as he raised his glass. Ginny mouthed something that looked like 'don't fuck this up, Potter' and stuck her tongue out. Harry cleared his throat to silence the chatter and began.

"Thank you all for joining us for these long anticipated nuptials. There was a time, oh, Merlin, nearly _ten years ago_ that I could say Ron, Hermione and I had been through everything together. Well, it wasn't technically true at the time either, but as we stand here at their wedding, I'm relieved I can't say that anymore. That would be _weird._ Oof," he'd started, earning a few chuckles. "And I'm pretty sure they agree. I met both Ron and Hermione on the train to Hogwarts when we were eleven and I can honestly say it was _not_ love at first sight between them. There's some debate about whether they even liked each other even a little before Halloween that year. But that's not realistic, right? Finding the love of your life in front of you when you're that young, and even more so _realising_ you have the love of your life right there with you. I do think it's a testament to their love that they ever started dating in the first place. We were each complete and utter pillocks at one point or another. In general and especially to each other, right?" he asked, turning to Hermione and Ron, who nodded emphatically, snorting as they all remembered. "I guarantee we are all thinking of different memories because there's a lot to choose from in fifteen years of friendship, but I'm not up here to rehash that, because it isn't important. We've seen each other at our best and we've definitely seen each other at our worst. We've always come back to each other in the end, made amends, changed our behaviour, been better friends and better people for it. I'm sure they'll continue to find the answers in each other in the years to come. Ron, Hermione - I could never have found words to accurately describe just how much better you've made my life. I didn't know what family felt like before I met you," Harry cleared his throat with a wry smile, looking up to the ceiling, blinking rapidly to stop the tears threatening in that moment before continuing, "and I'm so glad to say that I'll never know what that feels like again. I'm so lucky to have known you, both as individuals and as a couple. I've watched you grow and support each other as a couple since you were seventeen. You are an inspiration to all and we wish you all the happiness for this lifetime and the next, and all the lifetimes after that." Hermione's chin quivered as he looked back at them again, raising his champagne flute. "To Ron and Hermione!"

Harry hugged Ron, then Hermione before sitting again. He didn't remember what Ginny said in her speech, but she was confident and hilarious, he knew. His hands were shaking and his mind was whirling as he analyzed what he'd said, not calming until Ginny touched his shoulder, indicating it was time to move on to the dancing. No one would accuse Ron of being a good dancer, but the newlyweds looked natural swaying around the polished floor in their finery, lost in each other's eyes and smiling like lunatics.

Harry wrapped his arm around Ginny's waist as she faked a few more tears watching them.

Harry usually avoided the dance floor as much as he could at previous weddings, dancing only as much as would ensure avoiding a scene with his date or any busybody who accused him of trying to 'ruin the vibe.' But dancing with Ginny was as easy as breathing. As soon as the photographers had captured all the formal photos, Harry ditched his robe jacket, relishing the comfort of just his waistcoat and trousers, and Ginny pulled her wand from her dress pocket transfiguring her heels to flats with a satisfied sigh as she shrunk to the same height as Harry. She grabbed his hands and swung him into the crowd, demanding his participation in the celebration.

Teddy cut in for a slow dance with Ginny, and stayed with them for a few songs, letting Harry swing him around wildly like he was four again. Harry led Hermione around the room in an upbeat dance, only avoiding stepping on each other's toes by a clever spell she had found. Typical.

"So, you and Ginny?" Hermione asked, voice not carrying above the noise. Harry smiled unconsciously at the mention of his budding relationship. Hermione squealed at his confirmation. "I thought for sure Ron was having me on! Oh, Harry, this is so brilliant. Absolutely _massive!_ MUWAH!" She grabbed his face and kissed his cheek with a flourish, then wiped away the traces of lipstick. "Oh, goodness. Can't have her thinking you're stepping out on her."

Harry snorted. "As if I could ever manage that, even if I wanted to. I'm a terrible liar and Ginny can sniff out deception like a niffler in a jewellery shop." 

"You were good for each other. I really hope this works for you both, but I'll always be here for you if it doesn't," she said, sincerely as they twirled and swayed.

"Thanks, 'Mione."

Hermione was whisked away by her father for another dance. Harry searched for Ginny to demonstrate the charm Hermione had just taught him that would save their feet extra bruises, but she was being treated to a dance with Neville. She waved and smiled, so he stopped by the bar to refresh their drinks. Charlie's partner, Anton, pulled Harry back to the Weasley table while Ginny continued dancing. George and Ang were rocking their children, one on the verge of sleep and the other on the verge of a meltdown. Bill and Fleur were enjoying a sit down as their girls wore themselves out running around with the other children present, Teddy included. Mrs. Weasley was holding baby Louis, cooing in happiness. Percy and Audrey were on the dance floor and Harry looked away after catching sight of Percy's bedroom eyes. He didn't need to see that.

"We don't usually see you looking so flushed, Harry," Charlie commented after they exchanged pleasantries.

"Yeah," Harry chuckled wiping his brow and neck with a conjured flannel. "I needed a break from dancing. Figured it was a good time for a drink."

"You and Ginny are good togezer," Anton said with his thick accent. Harry could never remember where the man was from, but he told the filthiest jokes when he was tipsy, which had been the highlight of several events for Harry. He gave Harry a suggestive look, as if waiting for Harry to confirm that they were seeing each other.

"I distinctly remember a number of your dates having to threaten bodily harm to get you on the dance floor in the past," Ang interjected as Roxie let out a wail in her arms.

"I think we can all agree I'm in much better company than the last few weddings," Harry commented dryly. It was no secret that he'd tried to dodge the plus one obligation to events as much as possible. As if on cue, Ginny flopped into the seat next to him.

"Hullo, family!" She greeted them brightly, squeezing the lime into her drink before stirring once and tipping the whole thing back in one smooth motion.

"Uh, Gin, that's not water," Harry said, cautiously. She set the empty glass on the table with a sharp clink.

"Yep, breaks over, so tip that sucker back, Potter, cause it's go time!"

Harry spluttered comically. "Ginny, this whisky is really meant for sipping." He demonstrated by primly taking a sip of the amber liquid as all those assembled rolled their eyes, sensing the upcoming and unprompted lecture that they'd managed to avoid so far. "This is-"

"If you don't finish that drink in the next ten seconds, it's going to end up in your lap, and either way you're going to be on the dance floor in twenty seconds whether I have to carry you over my shoulder or not. It's up to you whether people think you've pissed yourself or not," Ginny said, in a threatening, sweet tone.

"Oh, come on, Ginny, just like, five more minutes, please - hey!" he pulled his drink back from her just in time and put it to his lips with a scowl as he chugged. She put a finger at the bottom, tipping the contents into Harry's mouth even faster in challenge. His empty glass joined hers and she held out her hand expectantly, nodding her head to the dance floor. Harry shook his head and grumbled, "I don't know why I put up with you."

She grinned wickedly, "You know you love me, now tits up, Harry!"

_"Language, Ginny!"_ Mrs. Weasley hissed, but she was already pulling Harry away so quickly he stumbled.

The party wound down as those with children began packing it in. Harry wrapped Teddy, Andy, and Alan each in a warm, tipsy hug. They had decided before hand that Teddy wouldn't be staying with Harry even though it was one of their nights. Andy patted Harry's face once more before they left making him promise again that he wouldn't try to apparate home. Alan had clapped his shoulder and told him to enjoy himself. "It's good to see you cut loose for once, lad."

Ron and Hermione departed shortly after that and Harry and Ginny took up the role of saying thank you's and goodbyes to the guests that lingered. The music faded out to a wireless station as the band packed up their instruments. The bar had long since closed, but not before Harry picked up another set of drinks for him and Ginny, "to SIP," he clarified firmly when he handed the glass to her.

They thanked the staff that had already begun cleaning as they ushered people to the floo. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley hugged them tight before stepping through to the Burrow. No one was around to witness Harry call out the same floo address Ginny had clearly stated moments before.


	3. April 2007 to April 2013

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My intentions when starting this story were to keep the events and characters canon compliant. I found in writing though, that I just couldn't have Ginny get pregnant after, at best, five years of playing professional quidditch. I have a hard time seeing either Ginny or Hermione being young mums. I also, in the end chose to rename two of the Potter kids, because... at this point why not? I realise JKR's motives in neatly wrapping up Harry's understanding and forgiveness of two somewhat divisive characters in a simple three words (Albus Severus Potter), but I really don't think Ginny would have rolled over for that. It's also always bothered me that all three Potter kids were named for important people in Harry's life and I've always imagined Ginny a bit more assertive, which is canon for her after book 5.

"We should get married."

"Is that a question, or...?" Ginny asked as she prepared a spinach and tomato omelette over the cooker.

"Yes?" Harry asked, and Ginny huffed a laugh.

"Decisive as ever."

"Well, what do you think? I guess, I meant to ask what you think about it in the general sense." Ginny raised an eyebrow at him and didn't answer. "Like, do you even want to get married some day at all? Or do you see us keeping on like this?"

"No need to ask what _your_ thoughts are on the subject," Ginny commented dryly.

"No! That's not what I meant! I just - we haven't - you know, what? Never mind. Forget I said anything," Harry said in a confused rush.

Ginny plated her omelette and took a seat next to Harry. "You don't think it's a bit soon to be thinking about this?"

Harry shrugged, "I know it's only been seven months, and that's really soon for most couples, but we've been best friends for years. It doesn't seem like that much of a stretch, somehow."

Ginny chewed her breakfast thoughtfully, considering his words. "You never really answered my first question." At Harry's confused expression she clarified, "are you asking or making a statement?"

Harry blushed, then took the fork from Ginny's hands gently before replacing his hands in hers a moment later. "Ginny Weasley, seventh child and only daughter, light of my life, anchor to my ship -"

"Oi! If anyone's an anchor here, it's you," she interrupted.

"Fine. Ship to my anchor, and hopefully future mother of my children. Will you make my life infinitely better and marry me."

"Well, I don't know about _infinitely_ better, but I can probably manage 'better' in the general sense," she hedged. Harry nudged her hands together lightly, and she looked back into his eyes, searching them and finding vulnerable, singular, earnest love and desire. "Yes, Harry. I'll marry you."

His face broke out in a wide grin and he swept her into a warm embrace. "Are you sure?"

She scoffed. "I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it."

"I know it wasn't very romantic. I can do it better another time."

"No, don't. This is how it happened. No rewriting the story." She turned back to her omelette.

"Are you just saying that to have something to hold over me for future fights?" Harry asked.

"I don't know, Harry, are you planning on making me mad?"

"I love you so much, Gin. And I'm not just saying that to placate you."

She smiled. "I know. I love you, too."

Her breakfast got a little cold that morning before Harry remembered he had forgotten an important part of the exchange.

"Shit! The ring. Damn it! Hang it all!" Harry muttered as he jogged down the hall to Kreacher's room. From the folds of the blanket nest Kreacher always kept, Harry plucked the box he'd shoved in a few weeks prior, knowing Ginny wouldn't chance upon it there. He trotted back to the kitchen and opened the box, presenting the simple, narrow gold band that was etched delicately with an intricate lattice to Ginny.

"Don't tell me you actually planned this shit show," Ginny chuckled.

"Sort of. You know me, I'm at my best on pure instincts."

"Mmm, debatable," Ginny said, reverently lifting the ring from the box despite her harsh sounding words. "Oh, Harry, it's beautiful."

"I thought it would still be comfortable to wear when you're playing quidditch and such. It won't snag in your hair or clothes like Hermione always complains about. But if you want something with a stone, we could look for one you like together, maybe?" Harry rambled self-consciously as she twisted the ring onto her finger. Ginny silenced him with a lingering kiss.

"It's perfect. I wouldn't want anything different."

\--**--**--**--

"What do you mean, I should pack my dress? We're only going for a hike!" Hermione questioned, nursing her tea in the sitting room of the small cottage they had rented in Iceland. Ron was lounging next to her, trying to get another few minutes of sleep before their day would begin.

"You're welcome to wear your leggings, but just know you'll be ruining the aesthetics of our wedding photos," Ginny stated evenly.

Silence.

"What?" Ron asked in a weak, strangled voice from his spot amongst the cushions.

"Surprise!" Teddy yelled, not able to contain himself any longer. The secret had been eating up the nine year old for the past six weeks. He and the Rickmans were the only ones Ginny and Harry had told about their engagement since Harry had proposed in April. Harry had been more nervous about what Teddy would think of it than he had been at the thought of asking Ginny. Now it was nearing the end of June, and once the couple had decided to elope, they had made all the preparations to turn their joint holiday with Ron and Hermione in Iceland into a destination wedding.

They had scheduled a hike to a secluded spot on the mountain with a view of the valley and lake below. A local officiant and photographer were scheduled to apparate to the spot at half eleven. As long as no one lolly-gagged on the way up, they would have plenty of time to freshen up and change into their finery and transfigure an altar and set up the wedding arch. Ginny had a bouquet of silk flowers shrunk in her pack for her, a corsage for Hermione, as well as boutonnieres for Harry, Ron, and Teddy. Harry was carrying other decorations, a picnic lunch, and beverages for the toast.

"You're joking!" Hermione cried, completely taken aback. "You can't just decide to get married! It won't even be legal! You have to file notice with the Ministry a month in advance and pay a fee and there has to be a licensed officiant and what about the family?!"

Harry cut her off before she could think of anything else and really start a tirade. "Hermione, please. I'm an officer of the law and not one year ago Gin and I were by your side sifting through all the legal bullshit for your marriage. We filed notice at the end of April, we have the certificates needed for signature, the officiant is going to meet us there, and we even have a photographer."

Hermione's surprise was quickly turning to anger. "But what about everyone else? The family? Our friends? Are they meeting us there?"

"Geez, Mi, you really don't understand the concept of an elopement," Ginny commented dryly, taking a demure sip of her tea.

"Elopement!" Hermione screeched. Teddy giggled at her expression, hair flashing bright, bubblegum pink for a moment.

"Elopement," Ron said stupidly in a low voice, staring dumbly at Ginny.

"Oh, come on. You know the last thing Harry and I want is a big, fussy wedding. We'll send out marriage announcements and have a reception when we get home." She shrugged. "This is what we wanted. Just a quiet, stress-free ceremony somewhere beautiful and special. No production. No pressure. No acting. No drama. Calm celebration with our closest family."

"I haven't even gotten you a gift!"

Harry rolled his eyes and produced a bottle of Donglewood 50 year from his pack. "Give me a couple galleons for this and you can write your name on the label. Sorry, I didn't get a card."

Hermione glared at Harry for a solid minute. "I would have bought a special dress for the occasion."

"I'm sure you'll look gorgeous," Harry replied just as Ginny muttered, "sure, let's make this all about _you._ "

"Elopement?" Ron said, incredulously, a bit of strength returning to his voice as he continued to stare at Ginny.

"Yes, Ron. We're getting married today and we only want you, Hermione, and Teddy to be there out of all our friends and family. But don't let it go to your head. Rest assured, if Teddy were of age he'd have been our only witness." She muttered under her breath, "bloody paperwork."

Ron got up then and stood in front of Ginny, who rose defiantly to meet him. "My baby sister's getting married," he said, tenderly pulling her into a warm hug. Harry could see the relieved smile quirk up her cheeks as she turned her head to rest affectionately against Ron's chest.

Ron's gaze shifted to Harry's and then his chin began to wobble. "You're finally gonna be a Weasley?"

"Yeah, mate, I am," Harry replied in a choked voice as Ginny rolled her eyes and shoved her brother over to her fiancé. The two men embraced in the centre of the sitting room with tears and sharp back slaps. Hermione dragged Ginny back to her bedroom to pester her about the wardrobe, while prattling off a to-do list to make sure they hadn't overlooked a single aspect of their planning.

It was only Teddy running around reminding them what the time was that got the four adults back on schedule. They apparated to the trailhead at half seven and set off through the mists. The sun was out but it was slow to warm up the air as they hiked through the valley. The trail split and Harry and Teddy led the way up a steep, barren hillside, feet crunching against the red, orange, and black, hydrothermally altered rocks. They passed steaming fumaroles that let off the pungent smell of rotten eggs. Teddy smiled brightly even as he feigned gagging. They climbed higher above the geothermal area and returned to grassy terrain with moss covered rocks. Where they finally stopped they had a breathtaking view of the valley, with its tan hillsides streaked with green, orange, red, and black rocks, and its turquoise pools, steaming river, and braided streams. Snow dotted the blue mountains in the distance, and if they turned around, Harry fancied they could see the coast, though it wasn't distinct.

They had the mountain top to themselves, which was largely due to the fact their photographer Hildur had used a perception charm at the trailhead and junction that made people believe the hike was temporarily closed for trail maintenance and offered suggestions of other routes to take. They chatted and shared snacks, perching on jagged rock formations and crowing to the sky in celebration of life, love, and freedom. At ten to eleven, Teddy - who Harry had given the task of time manager extraordinaire - prompted the group to get ready for the wedding. They transfigured the picnic blankets into two basic tents. Harry used a wet wipe to clean his face, neck and armpits before donning his dress robes. He wore dark green trousers with a matching waistcoat over a light gray collared shirt. He rolled the sleeves to his elbows evenly and clipped on his striped tie. Ron took Harry's cue and discarded the navy blue suit jacket that would normally be worn over his gray waistcoat and navy trousers. He, too, rolled up the sleeves of his shirt and fiddled with his maroon tie. Teddy opted for dark gray trousers and waistcoat with a teal shirt to match his hair and a black tie with silver embroidery. Harry knew he had never looked that cool as a nine-year-old. Sirius would have been so proud of this little Lupin.

Ron smoothed down Harry's clothes with a quick ironing charm, made a token attempt to fix his hair, and declared the boys fit for presentation. They reverted their makeshift tent back to a blanket and stowed it in Harry's pack. The girls were still enclosed in their tent, so Harry began enlarging the decorations and arranging them. They resized a lumpy black stone into something vaguely resembling an altar. They placed cream coloured candles on and around the alter in groups of three. They framed the space by erecting an polished archway crafted from fallen branches of the oak tree at Lupine Gardens that he and Ginny had designed together. The final embellishment was ivory tulle draped along the arch. It fluttered gently in the light breeze on top of their mountain.

Hermione emerged in a blue, floral tea dress, holding the box of boutonnieres Harry had already forgotten about. She put her hand to her lips as she took in the decorations. "Oh, Harry, it's lovely." Harry hadn't heard the _pop!_ of apparition, but he did become aware of the clicking of a camera.

"Don't mind me," Hildur whispered as Harry and Hermione turned to stare at the photographer. After another round of hugs, she began pinning the boutonniere on Teddy as Ron and Harry helped each other.

Soon there was another, more audible _pop!_ and the officiant, Brynjar, greeted them.

"Okay, here's how this will go. Harry and I will wait at the altar. Our witnesses, Ron, Hermione, and Teddy, will sit about here, yes?" Brynjar confirmed with Hildur, who had just transfigured three black rocks into spindly chairs facing the altar. "When we are ready, Hildur will let Ginny know it is time, she will walk here to you and we will begin. I will let you know when it is time to hold hands. At that point you will repeat after me for the vows we discussed, then you will exchange rings. Do you have the rings?" Teddy dutifully produced the rings from the leather pouch tucked in his front pocket. "Excellent! After that I will say a few more words, then your witnesses will affirm their commitment to support you through your marriage journey, you will kiss, then we will all sign the marriage certificates and that will be that!" He finished with a bright smile and clapped Harry on the shoulder. "Relax for a few minutes while I speak to Ginny, yes?"

Brynjar returned a few minutes later and ushered them into place. It was silent and still for a few moments, with only the sound of the breeze and the distant chirping of birds providing a soundtrack. Ginny's tent fluttered up gracefully, as if caught by the breeze then tucked itself into the brown leather pack on the ground behind the bride. Ginny looked radiant in her simple, sleeveless ivory dress. The satin fit snug to her torso before dropping in a straight line to the floor from her hips. There was no train, no fluffs or puffs. No lace or tulle. No cleavage or plunging back. No embellishments. Just smooth satin stretched over her flawless form. Freckles dotted her muscular arms and the simple lines of the dress complemented the gentle curves of her body. The hair at her temples was twisted and braided with small white and blue flowers around to the base of her skull. Her fiery hair draped down her back in loose, wavy curls. Her feet were adorned with her favourite pair of brown leather sandals. She was the most beautiful bride Harry had ever seen. 

She seemed to float to him, only breaking eye contact when she hugged Ron, Hermione, then Teddy, who whispered shyly in her ear before receiving an extra squeeze and a kiss on his cheek. The camera clicking, the crunching of feet on gravel, and the whipping of the archway fabric in the breeze were the only sounds of her processional. Then she was standing across from him.

She huffed a laugh, rolling her eyes, and produced her 'Fake Tears' handkerchief from her bouquet, handing it to Harry as she had nine months ago at Ron's wedding. He hadn't realised he was already tearing up. As he dabbed at his eyes, apologising wetly, he heard Ginny mutter to Brynjar, "this is why we didn't write our own vows," earning a deep, hearty chuckle from the man who clapped him on the shoulder once again.

The ceremony was short and simple. Brynjar's sermon included the telling of an Icelandic fable about love. Generic, but sweet. They exchanged vows, Ginny managing to sprout two genuine tears for the occasion, but unlike Harry, her voice never wavered or cracked. Teddy laughed openly at the spectacle, but that just made Harry feel all the more emotional that while he and Teddy had lost their parents so young, only one of them knew what it was like to be alone, unloved, and unwanted. He couldn't have been farther from the boy in the cupboard than he was in that moment when he slipped his wedding band on Ginny Potter's finger.

The crowd clapped and hollered as he and Ginny shared their binding kiss. They didn't recess so much as get swallowed into a group hug. They were pulled back from the celebration with the reminder from Brynjar that they had paperwork to sign. Brynjar let them keep the fountain pen as a wedding gift. They took photos while simultaneously hosting a cocktail hour. Ron transfigured rocks into a table, then set out the glasses and beverages. Brynjar eagerly tried the Donglewood 50, seemingly impressed by the quality before declaring it _almost_ as good as the Hrossagaukur Whisky from the distillery outside of Hruni.

"Did you hear that, Gin? A new whisky! We have to try it!"

"Nooooo!" she groaned, throwing her head back in exasperation as Hildur clicked away.

Brynjar sang what Harry was fairly certain was an Icelandic drinking song for their first dance. Hildur, Ron, Hermione, and Teddy provided the percussion. As he spun Ginny around their mossy dance floor, he could only hope it had nothing to do with prostitution, infidelity, or dying young, like the English drinking songs he knew.

Hildur and Brynjar said their goodbyes and apparated away. The group packed up their picnic, changed their shoes and continued their hike. They cheated a little by apparating down the steepest stretch, but then they continued on the trail to a hot pool that was cool enough to soak in. They changed out of their wedding garb into swimsuits and accepted the congratulations of other visitors that were already soaking in the pool, language barriers be damned! They lost track of time as they chatted and luxuriated. Their gurgling stomachs were the signal that it was time to return to the cottage.

The group explored Iceland together for another four days. Ron, Hermione, and Teddy caught an early portkey back to England, wanting to give the newlyweds some privacy, despite the Potter's protests that it wasn't necessary. They took advantage of the privacy nonetheless.

"Mrs. Potter," Harry whispered reverently against the bare skin of Ginny's shoulder in the fading midnight sunlight.

"Mmmm?" Ginny hummed groggily, nearly asleep wrapped in her husband's arms. "Sounds so weird, doesn't it?"

Harry chuckled, letting his finger trace a line along his wife's forearm, making her shiver at the gentle touch. "A bit, yeah, but definitely a good weird."

"Mmmm, yeah. Good weird."

\--**--**--**--

"What do you mean, you eloped?!" Mrs. Weasley shrieked. The potato she was peeling bounced out of the sink and skidded across the counter as the peel flew out the open window.

"Surprise!" Ginny said, enlisting the help of jazz hands for the occasion.

"You're not serious?" she questioned, turning to face the couple clutching at her chest.

Ginny seemed to bounce in place at his side, looking between her mother standing by the sink and her father sitting frozen at the table, newspaper forgotten as he stared back. "Yes!" She showed her mum the ring on her finger.

"Ginny!"

"Mum!"

"You're married?"

"Yes!"

"Oh, my heart. Oh, my heart." Mrs. Weasley muttered, fanning herself as Harry quickly guided her to a chair and Ginny scampered to fill a glass with water.

"Are you alright, Mrs. Weasley?" Harry asked, folding Mr. Weasley's forgotten newspaper and using it to help fan his mother-in-law.

"Married? _Married?!"_ she gasped. "Did I miss the invitation?"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Yes, mum. We were waiting for hours on top of a mountain in Iceland debating whether you got lost or if you were choosing to have a nice lie in, but the light was fading so we just went ahead without you for the sake of better photos," she replied, sarcastically. "No, of course you didn't miss the invitation! We didn't want a fuss. Ron, Hermione, and Teddy were the only ones there besides the officiant and photographer."

"Why?" Mr. Weasley asked, his voice betraying hurt.

"Oh, come on, Dad. Mum. You can't honestly say you would have rejoiced planning _another_ wedding just after Charlie's? Ron and Hermione's before that? Percy's whirlwind fiasco before that? I'm bloody exhausted just thinking about it. We'll have a reception in a few weeks, but we just decided to get the ceremony part over with on our terms."

"You make it sound so romantic, Gin," Harry deadpanned, then grumbled, "'get it over with,' honestly."

"But, why didn't you want us there?"

Ginny smiled tightly at her dad. "Would you have honestly gone along with it, or would you have tried to convince us to have a proper ceremony?" Her parent's silence was answer enough. "We had a lovely day. Do you want to see?"

She produced the photo album Hildur had made for them in the week after the wedding. They had paid extra for her to process the photos quickly so they could share the experience with their family and friends when they got home.

Mrs. Weasley cried over the pages, fingers tracing the images of the happy couple. "You look beautiful, dear. And so, so happy."

Then there were hugs and handshakes and toasts.

It was a similar scene as they visited each other member of the Weasley family. Victoire and Dominique were no longer angry with Uncle Ron and Aunt 'Mi for not letting them be flower girls, because at least Uncle Ron _invited_ them. Now Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry held the top spot on the girls' shit list.

This made him preen because he was officially, legally _Uncle_ Harry now.

Their friends were a bit more accepting of the elopement news. Not only were they not surprised - because who else would elope, if not Ginny Weasley - they were more relieved about not having to fit the events surrounding a wedding into their schedule. The wedding reception was a casual affair on the last Saturday in July, hosted at the Burrow at Mrs. Weasley's insistence. They used the party to celebrate Harry's 27th and Ginny's 26th birthdays, as well.

Even more shocking than the elopement was that bottles of Hrossagaukur 25 year were cracked open for the occasion. Harry had finally found a superior whisky to Donglewood. "It's really all about the volcanic soil. It's not something you can replicate anywhere else," Harry explained to anyone who would listen.

They managed to keep the news from the masses while they made the announcements and held private celebrations with friends and family, but there was no keeping it quiet once Ginny donned her new Harpies kit when the season started in August. The bold, block letters across the back proudly identified her as 'POTTER.'

They supplied one posed wedding photo to _The Prophet_ , a close up of the couple, smiling arm in arm, with vibrant moss covered rocks in the background. That particular detail was lost in the black and white printing, but the picture captured them happy in their wedding garb without showing anything too personal. Harry and Ginny were both determined to maintain the boundaries of their privacy when it came to the press and public.

Life settled into an easy rhythm once again. Harry continued dealing with the petty criminals, drug dealers, domestic abusers, and, on rare occasion, the murderers of the wizarding world. Ginny's league stats were top of the table, as were the Harpies. Ron had started acting a bit odd around the office, but deflected every effort Harry made to get to the bottom of it. Teddy resumed muggle school at the end of August and visited the Potters frequently to do homework on his days with Andromeda. Harry rather thought the boy just missed being around him and Ginny.

A mid-week game near the end of September brought their post-wedding bliss to a crashing halt at the stadium in Ilkley Moor. The Harpies were playing their only fellow Welsh rival, Caerphilly Catapults, when their beater, Simon Gascoyne, sent a bludger at Ginny. She had just passed the quaffle when she was blindsided. Or rather, her broom was blindsided. Her beloved broomstick died in an explosion of wooden splinters that sent her plummeting to the earth, only for her to be caught in the crossfire of the second bludger, which had been sent by her own beater towards an opposing chaser making a clever run to intercept the quaffle. Her limp body dropped as the crowd gasped and screamed. Harry had leapt to his feet, wand raised, but there was little he could do with the powerful shield charms preventing magical interference from the supporters.

Caerphilly's seeker was the one to reach Ginny first. The support staff had already started casting cushioning charms on the ground, but they had all witnessed at one point or another the damage even cushioned ground could do to a body from a fall that high. So it was without hesitation that Max Fishlock reached for Ginny's right arm to stop her fall.

The pop of her shoulder dislocating and the crack of her arm breaking could be heard above the commotion. It was a stomach-roiling, vomit-inducing, dizzying sort of sound that echoed in a person's mind. It was a sound that was nearly impossible to forget.

So was the sound of Ginny's screams.

\--**--**--**--

"Eight months?!" Ginny cried. "Are you sure?"

The healer sighed and repeated himself. "Yes. Eight months at best. Realistically, you are looking at a year or more to be physically fit for professional quidditch. The amount of ligament damage you have is not something that can be fixed overnight with a potion, unfortunately. Bones are easy to repair. So much so, in fact, that we have potions to regrow them, if needed. Severe joint and muscle injuries, however, will always be devastating for professional athletes."

"This can't be happening," Ginny said in a trembling voice, but she swatted Harry's comforting hand away from her leg. "Don't touch me!"

"Sorry," Harry muttered, stiffly folding his arms across his chest.

The healer looked between the couple for a moment and continued. "We will analyse the scans we took today more closely and come up with an invasive treatment strategy. Our team of healers will have to repair your ligaments individually with magic. We have your operation scheduled for two days from now. It's best if the swelling is allowed to reduce, so it's imperative you take this anti-inflammatory potion every four hours like clockwork until then. Once the operation is completed, you will need to keep your arm immobile for the next three to four months. You will be taking potions for the first month, which should accelerate the healing of the nerves and ligaments. After that we have to wait for your body to heal naturally. I am not going to lie to you, Mrs. Potter, this recovery is going to be very frustrating, especially if you hope to continue playing at the highest level."

"Of course I want to keep playing!" Ginny hissed.

"Gin, he's just doing his job. Don't bite his head off," Harry interjected.

"Bugger off, Harry."

"I've seen a lot of athletes come through here with season-ending injuries. It's normal to feel angry or depressed, but I encourage you to find something to distract yourself with in the meantime. We'll get you functioning again. One of the biggest frustrations is that while you're resting, you will lose a significant amount of your muscle mass, which you'll have to work to build up again. This has to be done gradually at the right time, because it is too easy to exacerbate an injury that hasn't fully healed. Remember, you're still young, you're only missing one season. Take a holiday. Relax. Enjoy the simple life. Keep your spirits up. You'll be back on the pitch before you know it."

\--**--**--**--

Ginny's operation went well, but after two weeks of lounging around the cottage trying to care for herself without use of her dominant arm, her anger and frustration got the better of her. Not even Kazuma could lift her spirits. She refused to host any of her family to take care of her and declined all invitations to have the Potters join for dinner. The only person she would put on a brave face for was Teddy, but Harry had insisted that the boy stay with his Gran in the weeks following her injury. Teddy would join them in the evenings on Harry's scheduled days for school pickups, but he would only stay for a few hours before flooing home. Ginny needed help bathing and dressing or undressing so that she wouldn't upset her arm. The process involved a lot of swearing, even by Ginny's standards. She would yell or insult, sometimes even throwing things with her good arm and on one occasion actually hexed Harry.

Teddy didn't need to see or hear any of that.

Harry finally had enough of her antics, demanding that she step back for a little perspective. "You aren't the first quidditch player to have an injury. I'm sorry you'll be out for the season, truly I am, but there's every hope that you'll be ready for next season. I have every confidence in you, Gin, but for the love of Merlin you can't keep acting like this!"

And then the tears came. The gut-wrenching, chest heaving sobs. "It hurts so much!" Ginny wailed between wet sobs. "What if this is it? I'm not ready to stop playing. What else will I do?"

Harry held her close, comforting her without promising the impossible. "Whatever happens, we'll get through it together. You're brilliant. We'll get you through this."

Ginny's mood improved after that night, but instead of being prone to catty remarks and angry outbursts, she became prone to contemplative silence. Harry tucked her to his side one evening with the blanket covering their legs and cups of tea steaming in front of them when he broached the subject.

"What's going on up here, anyway?" he asked, tapping her head with two fingers before lightly brushing hair away from her face.

Ginny offered a lopsided shrug. "I don't know. It might be stupid."

"Why don't you tell me and I'll be the judge."

Ginny nursed her drink in silence for a few minutes, collecting her thoughts before she gave in. "Twelve months is about how long most women in the league take off when they have a baby."

Harry hadn't been looking at her, trying to take the pressure off her by not staring. His head whipped around so fast his glasses slid down his nose. His tea sloshed over the rim of his cup onto his hand and lap, but he paid it no mind.

"Yes."

"I haven't even completed the thought, Harry. It could be just an observation. Or me grumbling over the suggestions in the gossip mags that I'm not even injured, I'm just trying to hide a pregnancy. There's only twenty percent odds it's yours if the current polling stands, by the way."

"Yes." Harry stated firmly again.

Ginny shook her head. "I don't know. I'm already going to miss that time, so it makes some sense to try now-"

"Yes."

"but, I would be so pregnant when I'm allowed to start up my training, that it would likely set back my recovery even longer. Particularly my strengthening. Pregnant women aren't supposed to do much lifting, you know."

"Yes."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "I'd been thinking about it before this happened," she admitted in a low voice. "Teddy's going to be at Hogwarts in two years, and he'll only get to be around his little sibling three months out of the year. I don't want him missing out on everything because he's at boarding school. I don't want him thinking we're replacing him, either, if we waited until he was at school to start trying."

"Yes."

"So if we had one now we'd have a good year or so for all four of us to spend with baby Potter before Hogwarts."

 _"Baby Potter!"_ Harry breathed, wondrously.

"And I don't want to be an old mum, you know? I'm not so sure that I'm ready for it at only twenty-six. I mean, that's still young, but I also don't want to wait until I'm almost forty."

"Yes."

"But having a baby changes your body so much. What if I never recover to top form? What if they give my starting spot to Evelyn permanently? What if they trade me? What if they don't have me back for the national team? I'd definitely miss the Euros next year. I mean, I'm already going to because of my stupid shoulder, but the point is I'm not ready for my career to be over!"

"It wouldn't be over, Ginny, trust me. You're too talented for it to be over," Harry said, finally breaking from his baby-crazed trance to step in as Ginny's breathing became rapid and uneven. "And you're so bloody determined, so fucking stubborn, I doubt anything could stop you from making a comeback. Ginny at 85% is still better than half the chasers in the league at 100%. You'll still make keepers shit themselves at the sight of you coming off the bench. Guaranteed."

"What if I like being a mum so much I don't want to go back?" Ginny asked, barely above a whisper. "What if I'm not good at being a mum and I use quidditch as an escape and our kid grows up hating me and quidditch by extension?"

Harry snorted. "Oh, please. You're already a great step mum to Teddy, and it's not like you haven't had a ton of practice with all the nieces and nephews. You'll be amazing, Gin. Our kid could never hate you. And if you like being a mum so much you don't want to go back, what the fuck's wrong with that? It's your choice to make. We have enough money to support ourselves on one income. I just don't want you having any regrets."

It was Ginny's turn to snort. "Children aren't something you regret, Harry. I might regret that my career ended earlier than I planned, but I would never regret having a baby. Especially not with you. Don't be absurd." Harry's smile widened.

"Are we doing this?"

Ginny shrugged. "Maybe?"

"Do we need to wait? Medically speaking, is there any risk from the potions you're taking?"

"I don't think so, but I could ask Andy. I'm sure she would know."

They sat in a charged silence.

"Harry." Ginny fidgeted with the hem of her jumper. "Do you think-"

"Yes!"

"-you're ready to be a dad?"

"Yes, yes, yes! Ginny I want all the babies you can give me! And by that I mean like two. Three, tops."

"Merlin, why did I even ask," she grumbled, but her smile was warm. "Let me think about it a bit more. Don't get your hopes up." She warned him with a stern expression.

"Yes, ma'am."

\--**--**--**--

"Harry?"

"Yeah, Gin?"

"I've thought about it -"

"Yes!"

"-and I want to try."

_"Yes!"_

\--**--**--**--

"How's Ginny? She still in a state?" Ron asked, leaning against the door to Harry's small office.

Harry smiled at his friend. "Hey, Ron. Yeah, she's feeling a lot better. I think the initial shock and subsequent anger have worn off. She cooked last night and everything."

"Merlin, I'm surprised you lived to tell the tale," Ron commented cheekily.

Harry grimaced, "it wasn't that bad."

"You'll give her our best, though, yeah?" Ron asked, gravely.

"'Course. We were thinking of inviting you two around for dinner. Gin's starting to feel a bit cooped up."

"I bet. Well, count me and 'Mione in whenever it is. Fairly open schedule at the moment, though I'm on nights at the weekend." Ron nodded awkwardly as the silence stretched. Harry grabbed a stack of papers from the organiser on his desk and straightened them.

"I need to drop these by DRCMC and then I'm heading out. Want to walk with me?" Harry asked, stretching as he stood.

"Sure, I was going to head out myself," Ron said, yawning on Harry's cue. "Actually, I was hoping you were free to grab a pint. I wanted to talk to you about something. We can do it tomorrow if you need to get back to Ginny."

"Yeah, I'm up for a pint. Can't stay too long, but yeah. I was going to get takeaway from a Thai place in West Bromwich Ginny likes. We could have a pint there while they work on the order?"

"We're in London! Who goes to West Bromwich just for Thai food?"

"Your sister, obviously. Don't ask stupid questions."

"Fine, fine. Lead on!"

They were settled into a table at the front of the shop. The dull murmur of chatter and laughter in the full restaurant surrounded them as the same awkward silence settled on the pair.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" Harry prompted, setting down his pint glass.

Ron's eyes flickered to Harry quickly before looking away again. He seemed to be struggling to find the words, so Harry made an educated guess.

"Are you leaving the aurors?"

Ron's eyes snapped to Harry's and his jaw slackened. He had the look of a criminal caught in the act - a look both men were familiar with after eight years in the corps.

Ron cleared his throat and nodded. "Yeah, I am. How did you know?"

Harry smiled knowingly. "I knew something was bothering you the last few months. Well, since after the wedding really. You didn't want to talk about it, though. But you seemed fine with Hermione and with the family, so I guess I assumed it was about work."

"I don't know why I've been so unhappy lately. I thought I liked being an auror, and it was really exciting and engaging when we were chasing down Death Eaters and breaking up lingering crime rings and stopping duels in the streets." Ron sighed dramatically. "Now it feels like I'm a prefect patrolling the halls of Hogwarts after hours, trying to keep sixth years from sneaking off to the north tower for a pull."

Harry laughed. "Yeah, only there's a lot more paperwork involved."

"Argh! The paperwork!" Ron exclaimed, then banged his head against the table, renewing Harry's laughter. "I don't want there to be another dark lord or some evil uprising. I don't want there to be a string of murders or anything sinister like that, but it's just so _boring_ without that stuff."

Harry nodded. "I know what you mean. I feel that way too, sometimes. I thought being an auror would involve a bit more adventure and danger. I thought I'd get an adrenaline rush every other day from people trying to do me in or something. Your brothers had the right idea. Curse breaker, dragon tamer, prank research and development... way more exciting and dangerous than being an auror in a time of peace."

Ron huffed a laugh. "And yet, I'm the one mum nags constantly about having a dangerous career."

"I think the job has been romanticised a bit too much. All those Miriam Lovelace novels she reads involve a tryst with an auror, right?"

Ron shivered uncomfortably. "Can we not talk about that. It's so awkward."

"I don't mind the paperwork," Harry confessed, bringing the conversation back on topic. "I look forward to the playful banter I have with our regular petty criminals. I get such a rush every time I can convince a woman or man to walk away from an abusive relationship. I like being a part of the mentoring programme. I don't mind that it's not nearly as dangerous as I thought it would be. I think it should bother me, but it doesn't. I know I should feel bored out of my skull," Harry said, raising his hands to Ron in a shrug, "but I don't."

"And I do," Ron stated quietly.

"Yeah. I totally understand where you're coming from. I'm not surprised you're moving on to something better. Eight years is service enough. You've left your mark on our post-war society. You helped make it a safe, peace-time snoozefest."

Ron chuckled. "I might not have been so inclined to leave if I didn't have to rotate so many night shifts. I feel really selfish about it, but I hate the late night call outs. Half the time it isn't even something we can act on, legally. I might feel different if I got on better with my partner. Tanner and I just don't click like Proudfoot and I did. It can really make the days and nights drag on." Ron sighed and took another drink, nearly draining his pint.

"I miss having Savage as my partner. That is a huge downside to the mentoring programme. Every time I get a new recruit I think Savage and Proudfoot owe us a round of shots. We were never as insufferably dim as some of these trainees are."

"Right?" Ron yelled. "So annoying, and then they file a complaint about how 'my supervisor spoke too harshly to me.' Wankers."

The waiter set another round of beer in front of the aurors.

"When's your last day?" Harry asked after a beat.

"I gave my written notice today. It's four weeks so I can give evidence for my scheduled trials before I leave. They're paying out my leave."

"You're leaving the Ministry entirely, then?" Harry confirmed.

"Yeah, I'm going to help George at the shop. I'm not sure it's permanent, but it's something fun to do while I figure out the next step. It'll give me a flexible schedule once baby's born."

Harry choked spectacularly on his beer, and Ron patted his back with a broad smile. "Oh, I wish I had a camera for that."

"Hermione's pregnant?!" Harry rasped out between coughs.

"Yep! Didn't see that one coming, did you, Mr. All-Knowing-and-Perceptive-Auror-Man?" Ron teased, looking positively smug. "She's on week fourteen now. We wanted to tell you sooner, but Ginny wasn't up for social calls."

"Oh my god, I can't wait. A little half you, half Hermione? I can't wait. That's absolutely massive," Harry muttered mostly to himself, processing the news. "So, she's due in March?"

"Mmhmm. Healer predicts 10th of March," Ron confirmed, producing a moving sonogram photo.

" _Wicked!_ Look at that scrawny little leg!" Harry cooed, then mused to himself, distractedly. "This is so brilliant! Our kids will be in the same year at Hogwarts! They'll be best friends just like us."

"What?" Ron said, sounding almost cross.

"Er... nothing?" Harry tried to back pedal.

"Is... Is Ginny pregnant?" Ron asked, now sounding almost hopeful.

"...maybe?"

"What do you mean 'maybe?'" Ron asked with a laugh.

Harry had flushed bright red. "Well, with her shoulder keeping her sidelined for a year, she thought now might be a good time to try," Harry admitted. "I shouldn't have said anything. We only just decided. Won't know for a bit, yet. I'm just excited and getting ahead of myself."

Ron replied wickedly, "don't try too vigorously or her shoulder will never heal." Then he winked as he took a swig. Harry's face flushed impossibly hotter, just as the containers of takeaway were set at their table. Harry buried his face in his hands as Ron's laughter multiplied.

Their parting hug included more back slaps and squeezes than normal. The two friends were grinning broadly on the street just steps away from their apparition point.

"I won't tell Hermione yet, if you promise not to tell Ginny," Ron offered. "We'd still like to have you both over for dinner to celebrate together."

"Deal. I'll mention it to Ginny. Does tomorrow night work? After that we'll have Teddy the rest of the week."

Ron nodded. "Sure! Tomorrow, six o'clock. Maybe bring a starter?"

"Done." Ron walked forward to stand out of sight behind the bins. Harry called out again, "congratulations, mate. I'm so, so happy for you."

"Ah, Harrykins. Save your tears for Hermione."

\--**--**--**--

The holidays were upon them in short order. Ginny had adjusted to life using one arm and Teddy had resumed his schedule of staying with the Potters. Ginny was indeed pregnant after their first week of gentle, shoulder-injury-mindful, unprotected lovemaking.

Ginny's food aversions launched a period of creative cooking in the Potter household that nine-year-old Teddy did not appreciate. Harry made up for it with chocolaty pudding every night with a hot chocolate chaser. Andromeda had scolded Harry thoroughly after the second week, since Teddy began complaining about the lack of sweets in the Rickman household.

The Potters wanted Teddy to be the first told about baby Potter. They decided to wait for the first Saturday of winter break, after treating Teddy to a drizzly football match in West Bromwich. The family of three spent the whole day enjoying the delights of the muggle world at Christmas time. They went ice skating, had a still photo taken with Father Christmas at an outdoor festival, and ingested cup after cup of hot chocolate.

They returned to Lupine Gardens and decorated their tree with Teddy's keen eye and the newest editions of Christmas ornaments, courtesy of his primary school arts class. Teddy was too tall now to sit on Harry's shoulders to place the star, so the Potters got to enjoy his giggles as he was carefully levitated to tree height with the familiar swish and flick.

After dinner and a rousing game of exploding snap next to the crackling fire was when Harry and Ginny decided it was time to share their news.

"Teddy, dear, we have something we want to talk to you about," Ginny started.

"What is it?" Teddy asked, turning to Harry for the answer.

"Tedwina. Do you remember a few years ago when all you wanted for Christmas was a little brother?"

"Yeah," Teddy replied cautiously.

"Well, I am - well, I should say _we_ are, me and Ginny - finally making good on that request. Baby won't be here in time for this Christmas, but there will be another Potter joining us for all the Christmases after this one."

"Really?"

"Mmhmm, really," Ginny confirmed, stroking her fingers through Teddy's dark, messy locks. "There's a baby growing right here, even though you can't really see them yet." She patted her stomach lightly. "And this baby is going to be so lucky to have _you_ as their big brother. "

Teddy looked awestruck, eyes fixed on Ginny's midsection. He chanced a glance at Harry, who nodded encouragingly, eyes bright. Teddy cautiously leaned forward and reached out a hand to touch Ginny's belly.

"A little brother?" he asked.

"Or sister," Ginny corrected. "We won't know for a while yet."

"Oh. Is it okay I hope it's a boy?"

"As long as you don't hold it against us if it's a girl," Ginny teased.

Teddy smiled bashfully. "I would never." He chewed his lip nervously as his brain processed what was happening.

Ginny took over in a bright voice. "Baby's going to be here sometime in June, so we have plenty of time to get ready. And we're going to spend as much time as we can with you while it's still just the three of us. Baby's need a lot of care when they're so small, you know? I'm not going to lie to you, things will change a lot around here once baby comes, but that's what happens in families. We make room for new members and we cherish each other for all the things that are the same between us and all the things that are different. We love you so much, Teddy. I promise, we will always have time for you. You are our first baby, and we could never love you any less. We wanted to make sure you have loads of time to be the best big brother ever before you go to Hogwarts. How does that sound?"

Teddy didn't respond, but crawled forward into Ginny's lap for a hug, careful of the sling holding her arm immobile.

"Oh, Teddy bug. I love you so much," Ginny whispered, rocking the boy slowly back and forth.

"I love you, too, Ginny."

Harry snapped a photo surreptitiously before joining the hug. 

The next morning they returned to the Rickman house and Harry stepped through the floo first, followed closely by an excited Teddy who immediately ran into the kitchen shouting, "Gran, Gran, guess what? Imma be a big brother!"

All three Rickman's looked up in time to see Ginny run passed with a hand over her mouth before the first floor bathroom door was hastily slammed shut. Teddy bounced in place as he declared, "See? Ginny's literally sick with excitement!"

Harry appeared behind Teddy, ruffling his hair nervously and positively beaming. Andy dropped the spatula she was using and screamed in delight as she pulled Harry, and subsequently Teddy, into a tight hug.

"This is wonderful news, Harry!" Andromeda declared, dabbing at her eyes with the tea cloth she always slung over her shoulder when she cooked.

"Congratulations, Harry!" Alan said, boisterously with a firm handshake. Mina followed with a quick hug.

"Does this make me Aunt Mina?" she asked lightly.

"Depends on your interest in baby minding," Ginny teased emerging from the bathroom looking paler, but smiling nonetheless.

"Of course I'll watch baby!"

Ginny touched Mina's face gently. "Have I mentioned lately that you're my favourite sister?"

\--**--**--**--

Ginny decided to slip the sonogram photo into an envelope in Mr. Weasley's stocking on Christmas day. The outside innocuously read 'to Dad and Mum from The Potters.' Mr. Weasley grumbled about how it better not be a voucher for a fancy holiday like last year.

"A B and B weekend in Ipswich is hardly a fancy holiday, Dad."

"Don't sell yourself short, dear. They had an excellent baker, just like you said. The cheese danish were delicious," Mrs. Weasley interjected, leaning closer to her husband as he opened the envelope dubiously. He paused halfway through extracting the photo, having become very familiar with sonograms over the last thirty six years. His breath hitched just as Mrs. Weasley gasped and ripped the photo anxiously from the envelope. She turned it to ready the caption, 'Baby Potter due 24 June 2008.'

"Oh, my heart. Oh, my heart," Mrs. Weasley muttered, weakly, as tears welled in her eyes. "Oh, Ginny, dear, _a baby?"_

Ginny had crossed the sitting room and squeezed between her parents on the love seat, letting them wrap her up in a fierce hug. Most of the grandchildren were oblivious to the announcement in favour of opening their own presents, but Harry found himself on the receiving end of the Weasley brother's affectionate back slaps and handshakes and "welcome to the club, mate!"

Ron was the one to point out Harry had started the parenting club in 1998.

"It doesn't count," George yelled above the chattering, "he was still a virgin."

"Language, George!"

"Oi, impressionable ears present, you dolt!"

"Sounds like a kids book. _'The Adventures of Harry Potter and the Immaculate Adoption.'_ "

"I'm sure you'll get right on that, Gin. Thanks."

\--**--**--**--

Rose Granger Weasley arrived in the afternoon of the 8th of March to adoring, exhausted, and smitten parents. It was several days before the Potters made their way over to the new parent's home bearing one of Harry's specialty home cooked meals. He had long-since purchased a line of floo-safe crockery - 'soot-free guaranteed.' Teddy joined them often in visiting the young family, getting a preview of life with a newborn. He seemed to cherish the extra time and care Harry and Ginny were doting on him in the lead up to baby Potter's arrival.

That particular adventure started in the late hours of Thursday the 26th of June. Ginny battled through all night Thursday and all of Friday, with building contractions that just wouldn't progress. They finally floo'd to the maternity home nearing 10 pm Friday night. James Sirius Potter was born at 3:49 on the morning of the 28th of June.

He was a fussy baby. Much fussier than Teddy had been. At first, he resisted latching, then as the weeks went on he refused to sleep at night, he was colicky often, then he went on a demanding two-hour feeding cycle, and yet somehow his weight gain plateaued below average for a two month old. Ginny, as predicted, was set back in her return to the league because Jamie demanded so much time. But she found a routine to train and the extra rest she had indulged seemed to pay off. She returned to the Harpies, first as a reserve player, coming off the bench to snag a few minutes late in the game when they needed an advantage. Harry was there for every minute, with an earmuff-clad Jamie strapped to his chest in a sling and Teddy jumping and cheering at his hip.

Harry took every available minute of his personal leave and paternity leave so he could spend time bonding with his son and give his wife an opportunity to chase her dreams. Ron would often stop by with Rose for a play date, or Harry would come by the shop during the morning lull on weekdays.

Kazuma made his displeasure of baby stealing his mum's attentions by pissing in the sitting room where Jamie had tummy time every morning, and resuming his favourite night time perch sleeping at the apex of Ginny's legs and acting as a furry, grey chastity belt.

Once Harry's name made its way to the top of the waiting list for the Ministry's day care, Harry went back to work. His desk walls, which were already cluttered with photos of Teddy or his artwork, soon featured photos of both his children.

He settled back into the routine of petty criminals, boring paperwork, and snotty trainees. He was never one to slack off at work, but he no longer felt the call to work overtime. He instead worked with an efficiency Hermione would be proud of. When Robards retired as Head Auror at the end of the year and Savage took on the role, Harry was pleasantly surprised by his promotion to deputy assistant to the Head Auror. He worked closely with Proudfoot as the assistant Head, and took on even more office-related tasks that increased his paperwork, and decreased his daily risk. He relished the time he was assigned to help train aurors because he was close to becoming the owner of a dad bod with his steadily more sedentary lifestyle.

Ginny worked her way back into the starting line up and led her team to a tragic quarterfinals upset by the Appleby Arrows. The next season, with Teddy off at Hogwarts and Harry and Ginny missing his bubbly presence dearly, Ginny found new determination in her playing. The Harpies finished the league in first place, and when on to win the European Champions League Cup over the summer. Ginny rounded up just about every award possible for a chaser in the UK Quidditch League and the European Champions League, from MVP to Golden Shoulder to Chaser of the Year and the even more prestigious Chaser of the Decade.

After Teddy's visit over Easter hols in 2010, with their mischievous newly toilet trained toddler in a deceptively sweet sleep, Ginny wrapped her arms around her husband's waist and proclaimed, "I want another one."

"Yes."

\--**--**--**--

Harpies fans hadn't taken the news of Ginny's missing the playoffs due to 'pressing personal engagements' in stride. However, the Harpies first place finish without their star chaser showed the quality of the all-female squad. She kept an active role on the team throughout her second pregnancy as an assistant coach. Jamie spent his time running wild through the stands and finding joy in pranking strangers. Ginny blamed the beaters.

Choosing a name for their second child had been an endeavour, to say the least. Harry had locked onto the idea of naming their child after Albus Dumbledore, should they have a son. Ginny wasn't as sold on the idea, specifically, but also realised how many important people in their lives they could honour by raising an 'Al.' They had loved, respected, and lost Albus, Alastor, and Ginny's friend Altea. Alan Rickman was a bright presence in their life, as well.

It didn't help they were convinced their baby was a girl, so they had spent far more time contemplating more feminine names. Harry had convinced Ginny to not find out the sex of their baby prior to the birth, just as they had done with Jamie. Harry finally decided that since Jamie was named after important people from his life, that Ginny should have final say about naming their second child. He regretted that when Ginny wanted to name their daughter Naimh. "No one knows how to pronounce it, and we aren't even bloody Irish, Gin. Please, _please_ , can we pick a phonetic name? I am begging you."

They thought they still had weeks left to decided, but the Potters welcomed their second son, Alec Colin Potter, on 15 November 2010, nearly six weeks early after only five hours of labour. Teddy had been pulled out of school every weekend to visit his newest brother and entertain Jamie while their parents talked with the healers.

Three and a half weeks of close monitoring in hospital later, baby Al made his way home to the recently remodelled Lupine Gardens. The Potters had lived with the Rickman's during the renovations and they were all glad to be home. Teddy had been given first pick of the rooms Charlie and Anton had built to create a second story. The cottage now featured five bedrooms, three bathrooms and a play room. Teddy and Harry had carefully sorted through Kreacher's old room before it was demolished to be replaced by a staircase. Teddy chose the room with a sky light and a view of the oak tree, arguably the best room in the house.

Christmas that year was a rather informal affair. Harry had enlisted Ron's help to finish out their shopping in the week between when Al came home to Christmas eve. They didn't even bother with Christmas decorations except to purchase two wreaths from a charity Proudfoot's niece brought an order form around the office for. They would be splitting their holiday between the Rickman's and The Burrow, so they didn't see the need to fuss.

The healers had warned about Al's sensitive immune system, so Harry stayed home with the newborn as Ginny took Teddy and Jamie out for the annual ice skate, parade, Father Christmas photos, and hot chocolate adventure. Ginny had been on bed rest because of her blood pressure in the month leading up to the birth and needed the time outdoors. Harry wouldn't be able to take as much paternity leave because of his responsibilities at work, so he relished every moment of bonding with baby Al. His personality was distinctly different from Teddy and Jamie, which boggled Harry's mind that someone so new and so small was so uniquely _themself_ from the very beginning. Thankfully he wasn't too fussy.

It was even more difficult to see Teddy off on the train for spring term that year. Harry and Ginny loved having their whole family together, and his absence was felt acutely. Jamie missed pulling faces with Teddy, even if he could never match the metamorph's creativity, no matter how hard his accidental magic tried. Harry missed having Teddy by his side cooking at every meal, something the two had done together since Harry's bachelor days.

They spent more time with Ron and Hermione, so Rose and Jamie could tire each other out. Their bursts of accidental magic were coming on more frequently and the two couldn't seem to help but one up each other. Uncle Ron had a way of pulling giggles and smiles from their quietest baby. They convinced Andy and McGonagall to let Teddy visit one weekend a month for the rest of the school year, which hadn't taken much convincing at all.

Life was good.

\--**--**--**--

Ginny didn't find the decision to retire from quidditch to be as hard as she had once expected it to be. She shared the starting role with Evelyn for another season, then, after a very tipsy 31st birthday party Ginny was once again up the duff. She stayed on the Harpies squad as an assistant coach and spent time training the younger recruits who would soon take the league by storm. She knew with certainty this would be her last pregnancy and she tried to relish every last awful and transcendent moment of it.

She was once again pregnant at the same time as Hermione, and baby Hugo Granger Weasley was born only four weeks before the Potters welcomed their daughter, Veronica Lily Potter on 12 April 2013.

"You named your daughter after _me_?" A stunned Ron Weasley asked when the Potters presented their youngest. "I don't know whether to kiss you or kick you, for this," Ron said, reverently lifting the tightly swaddled baby into his arms.

"Watch it, Weasley. We were this close," Ginny said, holding up her thumb and forefinger together, " _this close_ to naming her Maya in honour of your better half."

"Ah-ha! So she'd have been named after me either way!" Ron cried triumphantly. "I knew you loved me," he said, looking up from baby to wink at his sister.

"Yeah, I wanted to name her Ruby, you know, after Hagrid, but Gin figured there wasn't a tablecloth absorbent enough for that news and we'd have all drowned from that announcement."

Gin smiled tiredly, grabbing Harry's hand and squeezing. "It was a lovely thought, love. It was so much harder to name her, though. There are so many people that shaped our lives that we wanted to honour. It wasn't an easy choice."

"Well, I think you did well," Hermione said, scooping Veronica from Ron's arms. "She looks like a Weasley already. More so than James and Alec, don't you think?"

"Yeah, she'll look just like her mum," Harry said, grinning soppily, holding a squirming Al, who refused to be far from his sister. His bright green eyes followed her wherever she went, and his face was practically worshipful whenever Harry helped him hold her. Teddy was home for the weekend to celebrate his own birthday and enjoy a break from studying for fourth year exams by running James and Rose around the garden. Their laughter and shrieks drifted through the windows on a gloriously warm, spring day.

Andy took a seat by Harry's side, bumping his shoulder gently and smiling wistfully at the scene. "Fifteen years ago, did you think life could ever be this good again?"

"No. Fifteen years ago I was planning to rob Gringotts. I can't honestly say I thought I'd live to see my eighteenth birthday," Harry confessed to her, quietly.

Andy nodded thoughtfully. "I think we've done rather well for ourselves, don't you think, Harry?"

"I don't think I could have done it without you, Andy."

"Yes, you could have, my dear," she said, fondly, "but I'm so glad you didn't." She leaned in and kissed the side of his head, brushing her fingers through the hair beginning to grey at his temples. "You have a beautiful family, Mr. Potter."

Harry looked over the room, from Alan plating starters, eating one for every four that end up on the platter; to Mrs. Weasley piping out the icing on Teddy's cake; to Mr. Weasley's muffled curses drifting down the hall as he attempted to assemble a new push chair without the aid of magic; to Ginny, nursing baby V in the armchair next to him; to Ron and Hermione, his best friends and closest siblings, calling Rose and the boys in to wash up; to his sons and niece tracking mud into the house at Alan's call that food was ready; to Mina humming to baby Hugo in the armchair by the window; to Al on his lap pointing to his mum and Veronica chanting "Vera come here."

"Yes. Yes, we do."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this story to the end! I hope you found some sort of enjoyment from it. I've dabbled in fanfiction off and on, but I've never had the courage to actually post something before. I think I've only posted this out of shock that I've actually finished a story. I've known for years that my gifts lay more in science and technical writing rather than creative writing, but fanfiction is something that has helped me relax in the evenings after a stressful day at work. Well, that and a goblet of cider. I'm sure others can relate.
> 
> I also want to say a huge thank you to all the AO3 writers out there that have provided me entertainment and escape from the real world over the years. I appreciate you and all your efforts. Keep writing and be kind. Thanks!


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